


Take Me Back

by Avvkward



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex Has A Sibling (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Has Anxiety (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Alive Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Alex (Julie and The Phantoms), Good Friend Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Guilt, Homophobia, Hurt Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), I Tried, Julie Molina needs a hug, Julie Molina-centric, Kinda, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Alex (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Has a Sibling (Julie and The Phantoms), Season/Series 01 Spoilers, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Sunset Curve (Julie and The Phantoms), Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27701317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avvkward/pseuds/Avvkward
Summary: When Julie wakes up in 1995, with her very much alive Phantoms, just days before their show at the Orpheum, she's got to figure out how to get back to her time. Why is she here? For what reason was she brought here? Will she ever really get used to Alex, Luke and Reggie being... well,alive? How is she supposed to explain this to them without sounding crazy?She'd thought telling Flynn she could not only see, but could play music with, three twenty-five year old teenaged ghosts would make her sound insane-- but, what about telling those same three ghosts (who were very much alive here) that she was from twenty-five years in the future, where they were in fact ghosts? Thatmightjust top telling Flynn about the guys on the crazy scale.
Relationships: Alex & Bobby | Trevor Wilson, Alex & Bobby | Trevor Wilson & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Alex & Julie Molina, Alex & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie, Alex & Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex & Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina & Luke Patterson, Julie Molina & Reggie, Luke Patterson & Reggie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 72
Kudos: 447





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Позволь мне вернуться](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29001822) by [helenaaugust](https://archiveofourown.org/users/helenaaugust/pseuds/helenaaugust)



> Spoilers for season one, if you haven't seen it already. Takes place a while after season 1 episode 9 'Stand Tall'.
> 
> Edit* Just as a warning, this is pretty slow burn (I add as I write and barely progress the fic), will be angsty, fluffy, an attempt at some humor and of course the boys being protective of Julie no matter what year they're in. Also Julie trying to make sense of everything, because it's a mess for her. Not sure if it's boring, but I just love writing it, so I hope you enjoy either way!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is my first Julie and the Phantoms fic. I saw gifs of the show on Tumblr, and got curious, so I watched the whole show (twice). I love these ghosty boys and Julie with a passion. A+ characters.
> 
> Characterization might be a bit off while I get into the groove of writing them, so please bear with me!

With a groan, Julie blinked her eyes open briefly before squeezing them shut again. She turned herself over slowly, from her side to her back. She let out a quiet huff, dragging a hand up from her side to massage the side of her head, where a pounding headache resided. 

A headache wasn’t out of the ordinary for her—especially when she was sleeping. Occasionally she would be woken up by one, but she’d always just turn over in her bed and try to go back to sleep. 

“Do you think she’s okay?” A masculine voice whispered, low and closer than what was normal when she was tucked away in her bed. It sounded like... well, it sounded like Reggie, which had Julie scowling without opening her eyes. 

“Should we call someone?” Luke’s voice called next, a bit further away from Reggie’s voice, but still completely audible, and close enough to be clear. He was also in her bedroom. And if Reggie and Luke were, that mean Alex wasn’t far behind. 

That only meant the boys were in her bedroom again. Boundaries meant little to her ghostly bandmates. More often than not they forgot the rule about staying out of her bedroom. Sometimes she could just look past it though, but it was weirdest when they interrupted her while she was sleeping. She could almost look past their lack of boundaries during the day. 

“What’re you guys doing here?” Julie groaned out, turning about in her unbelievable uncomfortable bed. She couldn’t manage to find a comfortable spot. Maybe it was time to ask her dad for a new mattress or something, because this, this was like sleeping on rocks. 

“Honestly,” that was Luke’s voice, teasing, but filled with a familiar concern, “we should really be asking you the same thing.” 

And that... was not what she was expecting from the boy breaking her rules about staying out of her bedroom. Julie gave a hum of acknowledgment, finally blinking her eyes open and taking in the scene. 

She was... not in her bedroom. 

She was... why was she laying in an alley way? Her bed didn’t just feel like rocks, it was rocks. There was no bed, she’s been passed out on the ground. Julie startled up, head thrumming painfully as she slid away from the group of teenaged boys. Alex, Reggie, Luke and—and who was that? 

“Whoa,” Alex crouched down in front of her, holding his hands out to show he was unarmed, like she was some scared animal he was trying to settle down—which honestly didn’t feel that far from the truth. He casted a look back at the other three boys, all watching her like she was about to jump out at them or kneel over and die on the spot. “Are you alright?” 

Julie blinked at Alex—at her friend, then looked slowly to Reggie, Luke and the other guy, all watching from a step or two behind Alex. “Where are we?” 

Alex looked behind himself again, frowning at the others. It was Reggie who stepped closer, not crouching like Alex, but standing beside him, “we’re outside the Orpheum. Maybe we should get you up, the ground is wet, and it’s dirty.” 

“Yeah,” Alex nodded, “you shouldn’t be sitting down there, this alley is always questionable.” The blonde held his hand out for Julie to take. She studied his hand for a second, before finally settling her hand into his. 

His hand was warm as it closed around hers. Warm and solid. Comforting. Alive. 

Julie whipped her hand back from his grip, pulling her hands into her chest and staring at Alex timidly. Her hand had touched his. Her hand had fallen into his. It hadn’t gone through. She’d only been able to touch the boys that one night when the seal Caleb put on them broke. 

For whatever reason, she’d only been able to touch them to break that seal. She hadn’t the slightest idea how she’d done it, but it had happened. And then it had gone away. 

“What’s wrong?” Alex leaned back hesitantly, like he was just as nervous around Julie as she was of him. She had just pulled her hand back from him like he’d electrocuted her. “Are you hurt?” 

Julie reached a hand out, pushing her finger against Alex’s chest. The other wobbled where he was still crouching, looking affronted that she’d touched him. He was real. He wasn’t a ghost. Her hand didn’t go through him. Alex was... real. 

“Oh my God, you’re real,” Julie whispered, horrified. 

Alex gaped, looking back at the others once more for clarification that he’d heard the girl right before returning his confused, surprised gaze back onto Julie. Julie heard Reggie whisper a quiet “soo, she’s a fan?” under his breath, which normally would’ve made her giggle, but she was still stuck on the fact that Alex was alive. That they were alive. If Alex was, then Luke and Reggie were too. 

“No,” Julie furrowed her eyebrows, hand withdrawing from him once more, “no, that doesn’t... h-how?” her eyes settled on the only boy in the group she didn’t know, “who are you?” 

The boys all shared a glance between the four of them before Luke cleared his throat, “I’m Luke. And... uh, these are my bandmates, Bobby, Reggie and--” 

“I’m Alex,” Alex gave her small smile. Alex, for some reason, she felt the most relaxed around. He’d had the same gentle touch when they’d poofed into her mother’s studio. 

“We’re Sunset Curve, in case you didn’t know,” Reggie grinned brightly down at her, puffing his chest out, “tell your friends.” 

“Bobby?” she questioned scrunching her face up thoughtfully. She’d zeroed in on the familiar-unfamiliar name, only hearing what she was interested in. Besides, she already knew the guys, and Sunset Curve. 

But the remaining guy. Bobby. Trevor Wilson. Her mom’s friend. Carrie’s dad. The well-known musician. The guy’s old bandmate who stole all their songs and used them to jump-start his solo career without crediting Luke, Alex and Reggie. 

She didn’t know him. At least... not this Bobby. 

She faintly remembered the face from when she’d searched Sunset Curve... in twenty-twenty. On the internet that barely existed publicly in this year. 

Bobby frowned at her, giving her a small wave to which she scowled uncertainly at him. Instantly his hand dropped to his side and he shot frightened looks to his bandmates. 

“So, uh,” Luke cleared his throat once more, “are you... alright?” 

“Yeah, you were kinda passed out on the ground.” Reggie added helpfully, eyes watching Julie in a concern that was similar to Luke’s from just behind Alex. 

“I don’t know how I got here,” Julie whispered, glaring hard at the asphalt below her, before raising her terrified eyes to the group before her. “I was... I don't know. I shouldn’t be here.” 

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Alex promised Julie quickly, hand hovering in front of Julie like he was afraid to touch her but wanted too. He floundered for a second before looking back at his bandmates, “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do in a situation like this.” 

“Do we call the police?” Bobby questioned with a frown. 

“No, we should call an ambulance!” Reggie jumped in, leaning forwards, towards Julie so he was almost bent in half, “she didn’t do anything wrong, right?” He raised an eyebrow in Julie’s direction. She didn’t answer that, so Reggie moved on, “do you need an ambulance? Do you know why you were passed out?” 

No, she honestly had no clue. Last thing she remembered, was the band goofing around in the studio... or, maybe it was a gig? She didn’t even know. Her head pounded behind her eyes again, reminding her of its presence. 

Julie groaned out, pulling one of her knees to her chest as she lifted her hand back to her head to rub at the ache. 

“Did you hit your head?” Luke questioned, while Alex tilted his head at her, both waiting for an answer. 

“What year is it?” Julie countered instead. She looked between the four of them, waiting for an answer as they exchanged yet another hesitant glance. 

“You... don’t know the year?” Alex asked carefully, studying Julie closely, “that’s like... a sign of a concussion, isn’t it-” 

“Don't make a big deal out of it, just tell me the year,” Julie huffed expectantly. The boys all jumped in surprise. 

“Nineteen-ninety-five,” Reggie answered quickly. Julie turned to look at Reggie, eyes wide as her brain thrummed ten times worse than before. Reggie raised his hands in surrender, frowning at the girl. They all looked like they wanted to help her but weren't sure how to go about that. 

No one said anything for a moment. It was just silence as Julie let the words Reggie had muttered sink in. The boys were all just as quiet, shuffling from foot to foot and clearly unsure about what to do with this girl who they suspected had some sort of head injury. The girl they'd stumbled upon passed out outside of the Orpheum. 

“So... about that ambulance?” Bobby prompted. 

Julie shot him a look, and his shuffled backwards away from her. 

“I’m fine,” she tried, even though she felt ways away from fine, and by the look she got from the guys, she didn’t look the part either. “No concussion, or anything. Just a headache.” 

“But you don’t know that-” Alex attempted, but a look from Julie promptly shut him up. She knew something was wrong—this was insane—but she was almost certain it wasn’t some sort of concussion. It was a headache pain, not an ‘I-got-whacked-in-the-head' pain. 

“Alright, well,” Alex looked her over before continuing, “is there... anywhere we can take you then?” His voice was so soft, so familiar—his gentle nature hadn’t changed at all from alive to ghost, and Julie was incredibly thankful of that. 

Alex inched towards Julie to set his hand on her knee. Julie didn't bother moving away from this Alex, the alive one, as she shook her head slowly. 

There was nowhere she could go. She wasn't even born yet. She wouldn't be born for years to come. It was a question of if her parents had even met yet. She wasn’t born. Flynn wasn’t born. Carlos certainly wasn’t born yet. She was alone here. 

"Nowhere," she mumbled, looking down. 

She glanced between all the boys; their attentions locked on each other as they had an almost silent conversation with their eyes. They were hashing something out, Reggie, Luke and Alex seemingly against the other guy, Bobby, over whatever matter the guys were hashing out. 

It was Bobby who ended up sighing in defeat, glance dropping to Julie, "so uh, we've got a studio back at my house... No one goes out there except, well, me and these guys. So, uh, if you want, you're welcome to crash there for a while." 

"The three of us also sleep there," Reggie informed, gesturing between Luke, Alex and himself. "We share the pull-out bed." 

"Yeah, but I can bring some blankets out for you to use," Bobby explained. "We understand if, y'know, it's weird or whatever. Just an option. We don't mind, as long as you don't mind band rehearsal?" 

"I don't!" Julie was quick to agree, "are you sure you guys don't mind?" 

If it was any other group of boys inviting her to stay with them, she’d probably be more hesitant—or even stick it out on the streets, but theses (most of them) were her boys. The boys she’d grown to know, and to love, and who she knew had her best intention at hearts, because that’s who they were. In ghost form, or alive. 

These were her Phantoms, and she trusted them with her life. 

"We aren't going to just leave you here," Luke shrugged, playing absently with a ring on his finger, "you were passed out on the street. That... can’t be good for you and who knows what could, or could’ve already happened?" 

"But..." Alex offered his hand once more, this time though, when Julie settled her own hand into his, she was ready for the feeling of an actual hand, instead of just fazing through it, "maybe when we're out of the cold we can... talk some more?" 

Alex stood himself up, pulling Julie up with him. She went along willingly, stumbling to her feet. Alex waited for her to pull away, but she didn’t, so after a quick glance at their hands, he decided to just go with it. Such an Alex thing to do. 

Julie gave a tiny nod in answer to his words, already dreading that conversation because she had honestly no idea how to go about that. These guys were dead—or, most of them were. The other, she was ex-friends with his currently non-existent daughter. The only reason she knew them, was because she was friends with their ghosts. Twenty-five years after they’d died. 

Not to mention she had no clue how she’d gotten here, or why she was here. Because this wasn’t normal. This was weird. This was so, incredibly weird. 

Julie had thought telling people her bandmates were ghosts would make them think she was insane—but how about telling anyone about getting dropped in the past, where her dead bandmates were still alive? 

She’d be booking herself an appointment with her therapist if... well, if she even knew if he’d graduated high school yet? 

"We don't even know your name," Reggie commented absently as he and Bobby started leading them along. Julie shook herself from her thoughts, glancing at Reggie, who was looking back at her with a friendly smile. 

"Julie," Julie mumbled, now looking between Luke and Alex, who she was wedged between, "my name's Julie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just-- I love them so much. I hope you enjoyed, next chapter coming soon! 
> 
> Comments and Kudos, very greatly appreciated! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another chapter!
> 
> Before we get into it, can I just thank everyone for how friendly you guys are? This fandom is like so nice, I don't know how to deal? Your comments have been lovely, and I really didn't expect to get as many kudos as I already have?? Thank you so much!
> 
> Anyways! Please enjoy! <3

The neighborhood, Julie’s neighborhood, wasn't there. Just her house, standing lonely. Her house, and the studio. Well, not her house yet, but it will be. There were neighbors, but the gaps between them were two or three houses. They’d build plenty more homes in the years to come—pack homes in like sardines. 

It was weird standing outside the studio, hesitant to enter and not seeing any of the familiar houses. Any of her neighbors, or anything remotely familiar. Even the studio and her own house had been renovated sometime between now, nineteen-ninety-five, and the year her parents moved in. 

It was still so hard to grasp. She was standing in nineteen-ninety-five. Nine years before she was born. That was a gross thought. And it was even weirder to think that these guys, her boys, will die this year. 

“Are you coming, Julie?” Reggie’s voice called from inside the studio. 

Julie took a deep breath, finally pushing the doors open a bit more and slipping in. 

The studio was different too. Not nearly as cool as when it belonged to her and her mother. It was... definitely a place where teenaged boys hung out. Not exactly dirty, or gross—just a bit messy and unorganized. Like Carlos’ bedroom before he’d shove everything under his bed in a ‘cleaning’ of his room. 

But it was still the same place. The same couch. The guys instruments spread around. The piano was gone, which she knew was coming, because that was her mother’s piano. It still hurt her heart to not see the piano standing front and center. 

“Sooo,” Reggie prompted with a grin, moving to stand beside her ad throwing an arm over she shoulders, “what do you think?” 

“It’s nice,” Julie gave a nod, and managed a little grin despite the tug at her heart, “really nice.” 

And it was. The studio was like a breath of fresh air in this crazy... whatever it was. This was familiar, kinda. More familiar than everything else. 

“Yeah, I agree,” Reggie beamed, leading Julie further into the room, “we’re totally lucky Bobby’s parents are so cool and don’t mind us hanging around.” 

“Yeah,” Luke called from where he was relaxed back in the couch, legs kicked up on the table. His notebook was set in his lap, with his hand protectively sprawled across the cover. “They’re so chill.” 

“And they don’t mind us jamming out late at night,” Alex added from where he was sitting at his drum kit. His foot was tapping a little beat, and his fingers tapped along the edging of the drums as if he was silently practicing a song without actually drumming. 

“Well,” the door opened and Bobby entered. Julie had forgotten he was here too, and that he’d gone to his house for a moment instead of following the guys into the studio, “they care a bit when they can hear us from their bedroom.” 

Bobby continued in, setting his armful of blankets and a spare pillow on the couch beside Luke, “these are for you, Julie,” he told her, patting the stack, “it’s not a lot, but it’ll make the floor a lot less hard.” 

“It’s perfect,” Julie gave him a small smile, unsure how this teenager could produce... well, a Carrie. “Thank you.” 

The other gave her a nod before returning to his position by the door, standing awkwardly, like he was unsure of what he was supposed to be doing. “I’ve got to head in for the night, you guys, uh, try not to make too much noise, alright?” 

“You got it,” Luke shot a finger gun in Bobby’s direction as he hunched over his notebook, filled with songs—songs that would make up Bobby’s career in a few years, as well as some of the incomplete ones Julie would finish with him in twenty-twenty. 

“I’ll keep them quiet,” Alex looked up from his kit to give Bobby a nod. 

“Goodnight!” Reggie smiled brightly. “We’ll probably just be talking anyways. It would be rude to play on Julie’s first night, and anyways, you’re not gonna be jamming with us.” 

“Yeah, alright,” Bobby huffed a laugh, “night, guys. And goodnight, Julie.” 

“Night,” Julie mumbled back along with the rest of the guys all mumbling the same thing. Before Bobby left, she managed to give the older boy a thankful smile. Pleased he was leaving, but also thankful for the blankets and pillow he’d brought for her. 

It wasn’t that she disliked him—mostly. He seemed nice enough, and she was sure they could’ve been friends if... well, she didn’t know what he’d done. 

She liked Trevor Wilson. Carrie’s dad had always been great to her, treating her as his own child whenever she was over at their place, like her parents did for Carrie and Flynn. But she still couldn’t look past him just... using her Phantoms to build up his fame, and then not even crediting them. 

Luke had been crushed by it, since they were majority his songs, and Reggie and Alex had been just as upset. Upset and then angry. Songs were personal, and it was awful when someone used them to build up a career without giving credit where it was due. 

And what was worse, was no one knew. Bobby had done it, and none of the boy’s families had known. Labels didn’t know, and Julie hadn’t known either. All along she’d been enjoying Luke’s songs, and not Trevor Wilson’s. 

But honestly, Julie was more comfortable talking with just her boys. Even if they weren’t her boys right now. Give it a good twenty-five years and they will be. Bobby seemed nice enough, but she didn’t know him like she knew her boys. 

Bobby left with a final wave over his shoulder as he pulled the studio doors shut behind himself, leaving Julie alone with her Phantoms-- or, uh... the boys. 

“You can sit down, you know,” Luke called from where he was sitting. He was still hunched over the coffee table with his book, but Julie wasn’t sure if it was just an act to make himself look busy. Like Alex with his drums. Reggie was the only one who seemed to actually be distracted, plucking away at his unplugged bass beside Alex. “I won’t bite.” 

Julie bit her bottom lip as she moved slowly to sit beside Luke. He was closer to the middle, beside the blankets and pillow, so Julie sat on his other side, cautious to not touch him. It was surreal that she could do just that. She’d longed to touch Luke before—simply to hold his hand, or lean into his side—but now it kinda felt weird. 

This wasn’t really her Luke. Nor was it her Alex, or her Reggie. It was weird. It was them, but it was them before her. Not the them that she knew. And the thought made her head pound in an attempt to understand that mess. 

“So...” Alex called cautiously from the drum kit, “are you open to answering some questions? Or, I mean, we could go to bed if you’d like. You must be tired--” 

“You can ask,” Julie shrugged with a frown, “I can’t promise answers though.” 

The guys exchanged a look, before they all gave hesitant nods. Probably not what they were expecting, and if Julie had her way (and a promise of zero judgement from the boys) she would’ve told them everything. But they already think she’s strange, and that would be the icing on the cake if she were to tell them everything. 

Alex and Reggie moved to join them, but they both sat on the floor at the coffee table, across from Julie and Luke. 

It almost made her smile, because this was so familiar. The four of them just sitting together, or playing around together. 

“So... do you have any idea how you ended up outside the Orpheum?” Alex asked first, resting his elbows on the table and giving Julie his complete attention. “Any idea why you were passed out outside?” 

“Honestly,” Julie shook her head, “I have no clue. I was just... there. I wasn’t... nothing _bad_ happened to me, I promise.” Julie could see, just by the looks in the boy’s eyes that that was a serious concern for them. That the possibility of something like that could’ve happened. But it didn’t. She really was okay—freaked out a bit, but completely fine. 

“Were you, like, playing at the Orpheum or something?” Luke asked slowly, confused as he shut his song book. “That street outside the Orpheum is just not usually where people hang out, unless they’re connected to the Orpheum in some way or another.” 

“No, not yet,” Julie let out a bark of surprised laughter. She instantly recoiled, annoyed that she’d said that. She’d be playing the Orpheum alright, just in about twenty-five years. 

She was trying to keep herself as mysterious as she can. She’d watched movies like this, and whatever she says or does here could change the future—her future my extension. 

And as much as she’d like to say ‘hey, guys, don’t ever eat street dogs from a car, alright?’ it could change everything. She might not even be born if the guys live on. Timelines were crazy like that. 

“So, you’re in a band?” Reggie asked in happy surprise from across the table, “just like us!” 

“You, uh, you could say that, I guess?” Julie managed, giving a little shrug. “We’re uh, a bit ahead of our time...” 

“I’m sure you’re great,” Luke shrugged. “What do you play?” 

“I’m the lead singer,” Julie decided that was an okay question to answer. Her position in the band wasn’t really significant here, not like if they asked about who her band members were. She really had to pick and choose what she answered. “I play the piano too.” 

“Awesome,” Reggie tilted his head in interest. “We don’t have a piano player. Just the drums, bass and guitar. And we all sing a bit of course, Luke’s our lead.” 

Julie bit her tongue to stop herself with replying with a teasing ‘I know’, and instead gave them a little nod. “I’m sure you guys are amazing. I can feel it.” She had liked their CD, well, before they started screaming that first night she met them. But she knew they could play, because they played with her too. 

“Nawh,” Reggie flapped a hand, as if playfully telling her to stop buttering them up with complements. Alex and Luke both smiled fondly at Reggie before they sobered and returned their attention to Julie. 

“So, you really don’t know how you ended up outside the Orpheum?” Alex asked carefully, “it’s just that, well, it’s not every day you stumble across someone asleep on the ground, and a girl our age no less—how old are you anyways?” 

“Fifteen,” Julie answered. 

The guys paused, staring at her thoughtfully. What was wrong with being fifteen? They were all seventeen and they were about to make it big in the music industry (since they don’t know about... things). 

“What?” Julie questioned, tilting her head and looking around between the three of them. 

“Fifteen’s pretty young,” Alex struggled to say, looking guilty as if he was being a hypocrite, which Julie didn’t quite understand. “Did you, uhm, run away?” 

“What?” Julie blinked in surprise, “no way--” she paused, blinked before deciding to go along with it. That was a better answer than the ‘I’m from the future’ so, she sighed and ducked her head, “maybe.” 

“It’s alright,” Reggie’s voice dropped uncharacteristically soft, “we’re basically runaways too.” 

And... that surprised her. She’d known bits and pieces about Luke running away from his parents to be in the band. She’d seen how that played out in the end, how he’d needed to get some closure from his parents, just as much as they’d needed it—his mom especially. And Julie had been more than happy to help him through that, but she hadn’t known anything about Alex and Reggie also running away. 

She never asked, but they never gave her reason to assume everything wasn’t alright for them with their homelife before they died. She’d always thought they’d died with everything on relatively good terms, but now she wasn’t so sure that was the case. 

But she couldn’t ask about that now, not when they’d expect her to answer as well. 

Reggie looked sad after mentioning what might be a bit of a sore subject for the three of them. Alex did as well. Luke looked a bit more fed up with the mention of them being runaways. But Julie understood his side of things a bit more than she did Alex or Reggie. 

“I’m sorry,” Julie mumbled to them, feeling sad for them because they were all clearly struggling with this. She’d been blessed with her parents, and had never really thought of running away—there was never a need in her life to take a drastic measure like that to get away, so she couldn’t understand their feelings completely. 

“Don’t apologize,” Luke huffed, patting Julie’s knee in a friendly way, “you’re in the same boat as us, Miss Runaway.” 

Julie gave him a light laugh, to which the others joined in. Reggie and Alex were smiling that Julie was laughing, and Luke himself looked beyond proud to have made her laugh. They really hadn’t changed after dying. 

“Yeah,” Reggie grinned, sadness draining away to his usual chipper self, “welcome to the runaways club, Julie.” 

Julie gave Reggie another laugh, instead of actually answering him. 

“Hey, so,” Julie called after a second of comfortable silence. The laughter had faded off to the silence, and no one felt the need to break the silence, until Julie, “why did... why’d you guys invite me to come crash here? I’m a stranger.” 

“Stranger or not, you needed someone,” Alex explained, “we’ve all got each other, and, uh, you looked like you needed someone in your corner.” 

“And we couldn’t just leave you there,” Reggie added, almost like he was insulted that that could’ve been a possible outcome. Julie couldn’t see any of the boys letting that happen, even if here, they didn’t know her. “It’s cold, and dark and scary out there.” 

“I guess it is,” Julie agreed with a sigh. And following that, was a yawn. There wasn’t a clock in the studio, and she’d not had her smartphone when she’d patted her pockets down, so she really didn’t know what time it was, but she really was exhausted. 

“Are you tired?” Alex asked softly, “we can head to bed if you are. You must’ve had a long day...” And yeah, that sounds about right. Waking up in a past that you have no part in really does tire you out. 

“You guys don’t mind?” Julia asked again, because this was no longer her world. This was Sunset Curve’s world. It had been their world, before it was hers. 

“Nah,” Luke gave her a small smile, while Reggie called a more cheerful ‘of course not!’. 

And that was all it took for the guys to jump into action. Alex grabbed the bedding Bobby had brought down and was setting it up a couple feet from where Julie remembered the pull-out couch bed ended. 

Julie stood up after Luke, who pulled the couch out into a bed, then grabbed a couple blankets and pillows from a box that had been hidden by the loft stairs. Two blankets and three pillows. 

Reggie went to turn the lights off, standing by the switch while everyone moved around. 

“I feel so bad making you sleep on the floor,” Alex commented as he fluffed the pillow. He stood up from his kneel beside the blankets a second later, frowning at Julie. “I’d offer my spot in the bed, but... well, Luke kicks in his sleep, and Reggie’s a hugger.” 

“Hey!” Luke scowled, squishing a pillow, that Julie assumed was Alex’s, into the bed, “ _you_ snore.” 

“What’s wrong with hugging?” Reggie asked right after Luke, pouting where he stood by the light switch, ready to turn it off when everyone was settled. 

Julie laughed at the two displeased looks on Luke and Reggie’s faces, and at Alex’s bright, teasing tone. “It’s alright,” Julie promised after she finished laughing, moving to stand beside Alex, “really,” she took his hand into hers and gave it an appreciative squeeze, “you’ve all done enough already.” 

Alex settled his other on top of hers, patting the top of hers before pulling both his hands away. “It’s really no problem,” Alex tilted his head as he flashed a friendly smile. 

“Yeah,” Luke called from where he was already tucking himself into the middle of the bed, “Bobby likes to collect strays anyways. What’s one more?” 

Alex rolled his eyes, patting Julie on the shoulder before making his way towards the bed, while Reggie let out a snort of laughter before flicking the lights off. He was quick to make his way to the bed as well, toeing his shoes off as he went. 

Julie watched them settle into the bed, shoulder to shoulder and pushed in tight. There was room on the edges, but they apparently liked to cuddle. It made her heart happy to see, because she could imagine her Phantoms doing just that in the studio after they’d appeared. Cuddling close and sleeping a tight bunch. 

After a second of watching the guys get comfy and scooch together, hands and elbows flying and mumbles of ‘move your-’ and hushed apologies. Julie smiled softly to herself as she toed off her own shoes, sinking to her knees and climbing under the top blanket, leaving three below her as a make-shift mattress. 

Despite coming from Bobby’s house, the pillow and blankets smelt of Alex, and bit like Luke from when he’d been sat beside them. They probably smelled like Alex from when he’d hugged them to his chest as he joked around while making the bed up for her. 

“Alright down there, Julie?” Reggie’s voice called from the bed. It was pretty dark in the studio, but she could see they’d stopped shifting around. 

“Yep,” Julie popped the ‘p’ smiling into the darkness as the chuckle she’d gotten from Reggie. 

“We’re going to sleep,” Luke added, “we’ve been doing band practice pretty early these days.” 

“Alright, well, goodnight then, guys.” 

She got murmurs of goodnights from the boys, and then silence fell among the room. And it was so weird because there wasn’t any hum of activity outside, or usual house noises she was used too. 

At least Alex’s soft snores almost sounded like Carlos’ from across the hall back home. Almost like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so, I'm complete rubbish at writing more than three characters in a scene, so four's gonna be a challenge (Julie and the ghosties) and five's a nightmare where I forget people (sorry Bobby), so, I'm going to be sending Bobby away periodically to focus on the main four just because we didn't get a lot of teenaged Bobby in the show, and he's a bit harder to write with the lack of personality. 
> 
> Just wanted to mention this so people don't think I'm doing Bobby dirty, he'll still make appearances throughout the fic. 
> 
> Anywho! Kudos and comments greatly appreciated, they make my day! Thanks for reading and see you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again for chapter number three! Notes at the end of the chapter will have more details about where this fic'll be heading (a bit, at least), so, please read that if you're interested! Thanks once again for all the kudos, and to those few who've been commenting, it means a lot! Thank you!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

Julie woke gradually to the sound of voices. The familiar voices of Alex, and Luke, and Reggie. Talking softly about something she couldn’t place in her sleep addled mind. 

And for a moment, just one moment, Julie thought it was a dream. That everything had been a dream, and she was just sleeping on the couch in the studio—in her studio, in twenty-twenty. Tired after a school day, or even snoozing while the boys argued softly over country songs they would/wouldn’t be adding to the setlist. 

She believed if for a second, until she heard Bobby’s voice. Just as hushed as the boys. 

And her dreams came crashing down. 

So, it wasn't some kind of weird nightmare-esque dream. She really was here. She was in nineteen-ninety-five. She was sleeping on the floor in the studio that belonged to the boys instead of her mother. And that was an even weirder thought now that she wasn’t quite as exhausted. 

Julie refrained from letting out an exhausted sigh. It wasn’t physical, more mental exhaustion from just not understanding what she was supposed to be doing here. She was alone here, she didn’t have her boys, or Flynn, or even her dad or Carlos. For the first time in her life, she was completely alone. 

And in nineteen-ninety-five too, where everyone she knew wasn’t even born yet. She’d see not one single face that she knew anywhere (besides Alex, Luke and Reggie, but they don’t quite count in this). And it didn’t matter where she went. 

She wasn’t even sure her school had been built yet. 

It was so messed up. 

Julie gave another little sigh into her pillow, turning on her side on the uncomfortable, but still a thousand times more comfortable than the ground outside the Orpheum. She strained to hear the conversation going on just outside the studio doors. 

“So, did you guys learn anything else about Julie?” Bobby’s voice came suddenly, curious about what had happened after he’d left them. 

“A bit,” Alex’s voice replied. She could almost imagine him lifting his hand to rub at the back of his neck, an anxious tick he still had as a ghost. 

“She’s like us,” Reggie carried on sadly. “She’s running away too, but we don’t know from what. That’s a deep question to ask the first night you meet someone.” 

Bobby gave an almost inaudible exhale, before he was speaking again, “I was afraid of that.” 

“Afraid of what?” Luke asked, and he sounded annoyed, like Bobby had said something he didn’t agree with. Julie could imagine ghost Luke standing with his arms crossed across his chest, and she had no doubt that alive Luke would be doing the same stance. 

“I can’t keep bringing people home like this. You guys are my friends, and my bandmates—my parents can let that slip because they’ve known you guys for years, and all we do is practice anyways, but Julie... she’s a stranger, guys. I can’t even tell my parents she’s here because we don’t know her. She’s a runaway...” 

“But she needs us,” Alex piped in, and Julie could almost feel his eyes on her from the studio doorway, “you don’t know the feeling, Bobby. You’ve got your parents here, and they love you and you guys almost always see eye to eye on things. You guys are this happy little family. It’s not the same for us. For Julie.” 

A moment’s pause, and then there was a heavy sigh from Bobby, “a week, alright? And after that... we’ll figure something out. My parents will kill me if I start moving in strangers. Besides we can’t expect her to sleep on the floor forever, those blankets aren’t going to be very comfy the longer she sleeps on them.” 

“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Reggie volunteered. “Not like I haven’t before.” 

“I would too,” Alex added promptly. 

“Yeah, she can have the bed if the floor’s too much for her,” Luke agreed. 

Julie pretended that her heart didn’t thud fondly as the boys all volunteered to let her take the bed, even though she’d never take that from them. It was just such a nice thing to hear, that they would already give up the bed they shared for her sake. These boys, the alive ones, had only known her for one night. 

Maybe they felt some kind a weird connection to her, like she had when their ghosts showed up in her mother’s studio. It definitely wouldn’t be the weirdest part of this experience. And if that were the case, if wasn’t much different than when she’d met them in twenty-twenty. She probably should’ve been a bit more freaked out than that initial ‘I’m seeing and talking with ghosts’ freak-out. 

“Anyways, is Julie up yet?” Bobby’s voice called her attention back. They’d continued to talk while she’d zoned out, but now she was back to listening. Mostly because the attention was back on her. 

“She wasn’t,” Reggie chirped quietly, “we can wake her up though.” 

“We should let her sleep,” Alex replied, “my sisters hate when I wake them up. And we still don’t know what happened to her, she probably needs the sleep.” 

“Not all girls are the same, dude,” Luke muttered back, but he didn’t sound too keen on waking her up either. “We do need to practice though. Big things are coming our way and we’ve gotta be at the top of our game.” 

“Well,” Alex huffed, “I’m not waking her up. Last time I woke up a girl, I ended up with feathers from her pillow in my mouth. Girls have a mean arm when they’re mad about being woken up.” 

Julie resisted the urge to laugh along with the others at the little tidbit from Alex. 

“I’ll do it,” Reggie mumbled no doubt with an uncertain shrug, “no different from brothers, right?” 

The boy’s voices softened to whispered bickering, and then the door was opened a bit more and shoes tapped along the floor towards her. She could feel someone, most likely Reggie, crouch beside her. He froze though, unsure of how to go about actually waking her up now that he was there. 

“Hey,” he called softly, “Julie?” 

Julie finally let her eyes flick open, and she casted her attention sideways to Reggie’s smiling face. She gave a little yawn before smiling at him, “morning, Reggie.” 

“Good morning,” he grinned, voice still soft, but no longer whispering. “Sorry to wake you, but we thought it would be nicer than you waking up to us playing our music.” 

“Good call,” Julie chuckled, throwing her covers off herself and shivering at the change in temperature. 

Reggie flashed another grin before turning his torso towards the door and calling a loud, “she’s up!” 

Alex peeked in first, followed by Luke looking over his shoulder. The two exchanged a look, and then they were walking in too. Bobby followed behind with a fond grin on his face from watching his friends be so cautious of the girl. 

“Good morning, boys,” Julie mumbled, stretching her arms above her head and rolling her shoulders to wake herself up. 

“Mornin’,” Luke smiled softly. He walked into the room, moving towards his guitar and slinging the strap over his shoulder as he strummed a bit. 

Alex and Bobby simply sent her small waves of greetings as she fully pulled the blankets off herself and finally left the warmth of the little makeshift bed. 

“How did you sleep?” Bobby asked as he made his way towards his guitar. He looked back over his shoulder as he waited for an answer. 

“Surprisingly well,” Julie huffed a joking laugh, “a step up from the street for sure.” 

It didn’t have the desired effect. It really was a joke-- Julie joking about the oddity of it for the boy’s sake, since she wasn’t going to figure any of this out anytime soon. It was how she, and her friends, and basically her whole generation dealt with things to make it easier. It was a bit of a sore subject for them though, which, well, was understandable. 

Maybe that was a bit more of a twenty-twenty joke anyways. 

So, they didn’t really laugh. Alex and Reggie gave her a bit of a pity chuckle, but their faces showed that it was too soon for it to be a joke. Reggie’s lips curled into a small frown that he tried to hide, and Luke’s attention dropped down to the floor from where he was leaning against one of the beams supporting the loft with his guitar. Bobby remained fairly neutral, but cleared his throat to draw attention away from the untimely joke. 

The boy’s attention flicked from Julie, onto Bobby, who prompted their attention into playing with a simple riff on his guitar. Luke grinned, a familiar brightness lighting up his eyes as his fingers run along his own guitar in a similar fashion. 

Alex and Reggie shared a look before they too were joining in. 

And it was beautiful, Julie thought. The CD really hadn’t done just how good they sounded together justice. Then again, disks never compared when it came to live performances. You could hardly capture the energy in a recording. 

She hated to admit it, but Sunset Curve definitely could’ve given Julie and the Phantoms a run for their money had they’d been rivals (even though they were technically the same band. Mostly). 

With the boys distracted, Julie went about finding the bathroom in the studio to freshen up while they were busy. She was familiar with its whereabouts, but she certainly wasn’t familiar with it looking like Carlos had recently been in it. It must be a boy thing. 

She decided against showering, since there were literally four boys just outside the door, and she didn’t have clean clothes to change into. She didn’t have any clothes to change into. She ran her fingers through her hair, knowing it was unlikely there would be a hairbrush just laying around. She’d have to ask on of the boys to borrow one maybe. 

There was no way they didn’t brush their hair, Luke and Alex for sure, and Reggie too since his hair was gelled a bit. She’d be so mad if they woke up that perfect every day. 

She made do with her hand though, frowning at her reflection. 

She certainly looked like she’d been sleeping in an alley. With a final sigh, Julie made her way back to the main room of the studio, where the boys had now transitioned to one of the songs Julie knew from Trevor Wilson. 

She frowned at that knowledge as she picked up the pillow she’d used, as well as folded the blankets she’d slept with. 

It was so weird to know everything about these guys. About Bobby future career as Trevor Wilson, and his daughter to be. To know how successful he’ll be (with Luke’s songs). But also, to know that the boy’s time was ticking down incredibly fast. This was the year they’d die. They’d sit down to eat street dogs and then they’d... die. They’d die now, and then return in twenty-five years. 

Julie shook her thoughts off, frowning to herself. She let her eyes wonder for a moment, only to notice Luke’s eyebrow raised in concern as he sung the lyrics to the song. He was the only one to notice her spacing out, but she really didn’t want them looking too much into her, or being too worried, so she flashed him a grin. 

Julie stood for a second, her arms full of everything she’d used for the night. The fold out bed was already a couch again, so Julie stacked her bedding in the pile with the boys’ and plopped herself on the couch. 

It was nice to just listen to them play. They sounded good. Luke sounded good. Alex and Reggie were on the top of their game too, rocking out with that familiar flair of enthusiasm she loved seeing. 

“So,” Julie called when the song faded off to everyone just kind of playing around with their instruments, “what’s all the practice for? Something big happening?” 

“Only the gig of all gigs,” Luke grinned, stumming easily. He smiled widely at where Julie was tucked up on the couch. 

“We’re playing the Orpheum!” Reggie exclaimed, looking around his friends happily, “it’ll be amazing. We’ve waited so long for this!” 

“Totally,” Bobby agreed with a similar smile, “we’ll play the Orpheum, and they we’ll make it big. We’re already sold out. This is gonna take Sunset Curve to the top.” 

The boys exchanged a bright grin, and Julie felt herself smiling in second-hand excitement. She knew what was gonna happen the night they’re supposed to catch their big break, but that shouldn’t put a damper on the now. Besides, they’ll still have like... weeks, right? Maybe even months-- 

“We hit the Orpheum stage in two days,” Alex informed flashing a grin between beats, “a whole day of rocking out in the one place we’ve been dreaming of, after years of trying to get on that stage-- and our first real show!” 

“That’s so awesome—” Julie froze, mouth suddenly drying up and eyes widening, “wait... i-in two days?” 

“Yep,” Luke grinned, “exciting, innit?” 

“Yeah,” Julie forced herself to mumbled, a sinking feeling in her gut, “that’s really exciting you guys.” 

“You... don’t sound very excited?” Reggie furrowed his eyebrows setting letting his bass slide down to his hip, held closely to his body by the shoulder strap. 

It was hard to get excited for them now. That was... just over forty-eight hours left on the guy’s clock. They’d be dying the day after tomorrow. And that’s something no one wants to know. Julie didn’t want to know about the guys death. She didn’t want to have the knowledge that they’d be dying hours before the most important thing of their lives. 

And it sucked. Alex, Luke and Reggie didn’t deserve that. They deserved the best the world had to offer. They deserved to play the Orpheum as Sunset Curve, and make it big. And it’s awful to know that instead of all those amazing things, bad hotdogs’ll take that away. 

“Julie?” When Julie looked up to Alex’s voice, the boys were all looking at her. It made her question just how long she’d spaced out on them. “Are you alright?” 

Bobby was stood behind Alex, looking half as concerned as her Phantoms did. Both Luke and Reggie’s instruments were held by their shoulder straps, and Alex had his sticks in one hand and looked close to standing up. They were so close to her, but she really didn’t feel them there, like she was the ghost this time. 

And, maybe she was. She didn’t belong here, in this time, or with the guys now. They can see and touch her, but she’d not supposed to be here. 

“I’m alright,” Julie forced out. She looked around blankly before managing to bring herself back from the dread she was feeling. She managed a little smile, making sure to send each of the boys what she hoped was a smile that backed her up, “I’m fine, I promise.” 

It didn’t look like it fooled anyone, but they let it slip. Why wouldn’t they? She was still a stranger. As nice as the boys were to her, she was still just the girl they’d known for less than twenty-four hours. 

It was weird to have all these feeling, but not be able to share them without looking insane. Plus, she didn’t have Flynn here to tell her she’s insane before ultimately believing her. 

“Hey, forget about me... it’s dumb- uh, girl things.” She paused, almost seeing the cogs turn in the boy's heads with her excuse. Alex looked the least fooled of the four, but Julie knew he had sisters from the earlier conversation she’d overheard. It was usually an easy way to get boys to leave you alone, but boys who are around girls a lot, sometimes see past it. 

“I’m really happy for you guys, this is a big accomplishment.” And it was. And she really was proud of them. “You guys should play that song you played earlier the--” she hummed the tune of it easily until Luke snapped his fingers in understanding, while flashing her a knowing grin. 

“Long Weekend,” he told her proudly. 

“It’s one of my favorites,” Reggie added, pulling his bass up from his side, strumming once before looking around at the other Sunset Curve members, “c’mon, boys, let’s give the lady what she wants.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm going to be doing a chapter focusing on each of the guys with Julie, where Julie learns of what made them leave to join the band (probably not Bobby), because I don't think Julie was ever informed about any of it (except Luke, kinda). I think that'll be fun to write, so we're looking at about five or possibly six more chapters with thise included.
> 
> Anywho! Thanks again for reading, commenting and leaving kudos! It's so awesome to see, and I'm glad people like this!
> 
> See ya next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting the overview of the boy's lives with Alex, so, **warning** for homophobic parents, but nothing graphic. Broad homophobia. 
> 
> Poor bb boy though. He deserved so much better.

The day continued on just as Julie assumed it would’ve-- with amazing music. Enjoying the carefree enthusiasm she saw on her phantom’s faces as they did what the loved. Her bandmates alive and thriving as a band. 

Julie listened to them, song after song as they played in perfect sync. She was lost in all these songs she knew from her childhood, but sounding better and... more polished. The really did sound better with Luke singing, and the boys backing him up than Trevor Wilson had made them sound. 

Julie was starting to think that Trevor Wilson had really made it in the music world on Luke’s amazing songs alone. Bobby, as great of a guitarist as he was, didn’t have a voice that could rival Luke’s in the slightest. Nothing sounded right now, when she thought of Bobby singing them alone. Not when she had this—Luke's voice bleeding through in the words he’d written. 

There was just so much more character in the songs when it was Luke singing the songs he’d written, and it really showed. Julie knew she would’ve loved Sunset Curve had they not met an untimely end. They definitely would’ve been a group she would’ve looked up to. 

Julie wasn’t sure how, but she’d gotten lost in just listening to the guys play, like she tended to get lost in her own music. It was easy to just lose track listening to Luke’s beautiful voice, and Reggie, Alex and Bobby backing him up gracefully. The instruments mending together perfectly into a melody that matched the lyrics perfect. 

They really would’ve been big. Bobby had come far, but with the whole band, and their charisma on a stage, Julie was sure they would’ve been one of the biggest bands in history. 

They would’ve been huge, and it hurt her heart to think of what the boys were going to be losing in just days. 

It was only towards afternoon, as far as Julie could tell, that she finally pulled herself away from the alluring music the boys were playing. It came to attention, with a rumble from her stomach, that she hadn’t eaten at all since waking up in nineteen-ninety-five. 

She was starving. 

The band had at one point started halfheartedly arguing about the setlist for the big night. What songs sounded good together-- what songs’ll bring the audience’s enthusiasm up, and what should follow that to drop the energy down gradually. Planning the general aesthetic of the show, which Julie knew all too well. 

Julie stretched where she was sitting, throwing her arms up and stretching the kinks from sitting for so long from her back before she was standing up. She gave a halfhearted pat of her pockets, ignoring the mini heart attack she had when she didn’t feel her phone tucked in her pocket. 

She’d really need to get used to that, but it was always a surprise, even though she knew she didn’t have it—that her phone didn’t even exist yet. It would be a few years, and a bunch of models before her phone would even be produced. 

Were smart phones even invented yet? Mobile ones were, she was sure, but she had no clue about touch screens. 

Julie shook herself from her thoughts before patting her back pocket. Yesterday she’d found two twenty-dollar bills in her pocket while patting for her phone, which wasn’t unusual for her to be carrying around. Plans with Flynn always popped up—lunch together, or a spontaneous shopping trip after school. 

They tried to always be prepared for whatever might happen, so, now she was incredibly thankful for their habits to always have enough money to cover the other for lunch. 

She could buy herself a couple meals until she finds a way home. And she doesn’t even have to rely on the guys to feed her, because they’d already been nice enough to let her stay in their studio. 

“Hey,” Julie called over Luke and Bobby gracefully playing a copy game with Bobby leading Luke through some fast exercises. It sounded a bit familiar to something Trevor Wilson had released years later, but Julie couldn’t quite place her finger on just which song it was. 

Alex and Reggie were both talking softly to each other, Reggie stood on Alex’s drum platform to hear the other over the guitars. She could barely see them over the guitar, but she could faintly see their lips moving in conversation. 

Luke and Bobby both stopped, their quick notes falling flat as their hands withdrew. Reggie and Alex looked towards her, shortly followed by Luke and Bobby. “I’m going to head out and find something to eat, alright?” 

There was a pause before Alex blinked, face falling, “we forgot to get you something to eat." 

“Oh God,” Reggie gaped, Alex’s words dawning on him, “it’s almost noon, and you haven’t eaten since—at least last night!” 

“Sorry, Julie,” Bobby frowned, “it slipped our minds. The guys usually just come in for breakfast—and we don’t usually do lunch...” 

“It’s fine,” Julie waved it off. She hadn’t expected them to feed her, and she’d forgotten to feed herself, so she wasn’t about to put the boys at fault. Not that she ever would. “I wasn’t even hungry until now anyways. And you guys don’t need to feed me, it’s nice enough that you’re letting me crash here for a few nights.” 

“Yeah, but,” Luke huffed, tilting his head at her, “we still should’ve brought you _something_.” 

Julie waved her hand at him, “it’s fine. I’ve got a bit of cash to feed myself for a bit. Don't worry about me, alright? You’ve already been too nice.” Julie moved towards the studio doors, ready to head out to find herself something to eat. She may be hungrier than she’d thought now that she was up and moving. 

“Wait,” Alex called, stumbling up from his stool. “Can I come with? I feel bad we forgot about you and... I can show you the best places to eat?” 

“What about practicing?” Julie raised an eyebrow, crossing her arm across her chest and glancing between Bobby, Luke and Reggie. 

“It’ll be an hour tops,” Alex scoffed, jumping down from his platform, leaving Reggie standing alone. “Besides, the guys are just working on the setlist right now. I don’t really have to be a part of that, I just rock the drums.” 

“That you do,” Julie agreed. “I guess, if there’s no objections?” 

She didn’t want to steal Alex away if they were practicing. Not that she really was stealing him away. She could say no, but that would’ve made Alex make that ‘kicked puppy’ face she couldn’t say no too. And she had a feeling it was even harder to say no to alive Alex. 

“None from me,” Bobby shrugged. “Enjoy your lunch date.” 

Alex wrinkled his nose at Bobby’s teasing grin before glancing towards Julie thoughtfully. He frowned, but turned away before Julie could mention it. 

“Bring back a pizza,” Luke called over his shoulder as he fiddled with one of the tuning pegs on his guitar. “We haven’t had pizza in a while. That’s payment for cutting practice and leaving the hard work for us.” 

“Hey, no,” Reggie frowned, “pizza’s boring-- bring back burgers.” 

“Pizza,” Luke looked up at Reggie, a challenging glint in his eye. 

“Burgerrr,” Reggie grinned, finally following Alex’s lead and hopping down from the platform. He landed gracefully, then moved towards Luke in a bouncy stride that was similar to their stage energy. They were so cute. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex scoffed playfully, cutting off the little not-argument, “you’ll get what ya get.” 

“Rude,” Reggie mumbled, but he grinned brightly at Alex. 

Alex huffed a laugh, to which Reggie’s grin widened proudly. Julie found herself smiling along. She was so glad this bond had carried over to the afterlife with them. 

“C’mon,” Julie prompted, “I’m starving.” 

“Right,” Alex laughed, finally stepping out. They called byes over their shoulder before they were walking away from the studio. 

True to his word, Alex showed her the best (and cheapest) places to spend her money. Things were a lot cheaper than in twenty-twenty, so she was sure that her money would last for a couple meals at least. Alex had seemed surprised that she’d pulled two twenties from her pocket, but he hadn’t said anything. 

They’d decided on getting burgers from Alex’s favorite little restaurant, in a very outdated mall that she and Flynn still shopped at to this day. She passed by stores that had gone out of business when she was growing up, as well as things that were long gone by the time she was even born—like Alex’s favorite burger joint. 

The whole building had gone through a huge renovation when Julie was like four, so it was weird walking through it now. The original bones of her favorite place. 

The burgers she and Alex got were really good. Alex’s favorite for good reason. 

It was hard to believe this place would go out of business in the next few years, because they were so good. 

“Like it?” Alex prompted before taking a big bite of his own burger. 

Julie gave an enthusiastic nod around her own mouthful as Alex moaned a groggy, ‘soo good’, like he’d forgotten just how good the burgers were. Julie swallowed her bite, laughing lightly at Alex. He swallowed his too, before giving her a wide smile. 

“We’ll have to pick one of these up for Reggie before we go, he’ll love it,” Alex explained as he sipped the soda he’d gotten with his combo, “and then we can stop and get Luke and Bobby a pizza to share. That way everyone’s happy—I'd rather not show you the world war takeout that’ll happen if I were to pick a side and just get burgers, or a pizza.” 

“Sounds good,” Julie gave a nod, laughing briefly at ‘world war takeout’ as she popped a fry in her mouth. She wanted to offer to buy the burger for Reggie, or possibly the pizza for Luke and Bobby, but she wasn’t sure how long she’d be stuck here, and she couldn’t be spending what little she had. She was already looking at one meal a day until she could find a way home—which she hadn’t even started looking into yet. 

She kept getting distracted by the boys-- by how alive they are, and how much she misses her boys. The ones she’ll meet in twenty-twenty. The ones who knew her struggles, and who stuck by her through the good and the bad. 

“You alright?” Alex asked softly, and Julie thought about just how much the guys have been asking her that since they’d met the evening before. 

“Yeah,” Julie gave a nod, squishing a fry between her fingers before dropping it into the paper cup it had come in. 

“Woah,” Alex huffed jokingly, “fry abuse.” 

She gave a bland laugh, before sipping at her drink. They settled into a bit of a silence as they ate, but Julie couldn’t help but notice Alex’s eyes wondering to her before he’d abruptly shoot his attention elsewhere. 

“This, uh,” he started, “it’s not a date, right?” 

And Julie almost choked on her burger. She coughed, once, then twice, before Alex’s hand was patting her back to help her dislodge the bite she’d swallowed in utter surprise. She brought her own hand to pound at her chest, as Alex stumbled over his next few words, “I mean, I know I asked to come along with you, but I just... you can’t get the wrong idea-” 

“You like guys,” Julie coughed out. Alex’s hand froze on her back. His eyes searched the area around the bench they were sitting on to see if anyone was close enough to hear. No one was, no a soul in sight. 

And it was only when his attention fell back onto Julie, eyebrows furrowed and mouth a straight line that was bordering on a frown, that Julie realized that the words she’d blurted were not her brightest. 

She... wasn’t supposed to know that yet... 

Alex looked terrified, like she was going to get up and yell it to the whole mall. Like she’d pieced this together from his simple need for confirmation that this wasn’t a date. Julie was good, but she definitely wasn’t that good. She just _knew_ Alex, not that Alex knew that. 

“N-not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Julie assured quickly, hand dropping onto Alex’s knee in what she hoped was a comforting gesture, “I just, I knew it wasn’t a date, because--” she lowered her voice this time, “because you like dudes.” 

“How do you... did someone tell you?” Alex’s voice broke, and he looked heartbroken at the thought that one of his friends might’ve blown his cover. And that broke her heart because she’d never seen him like this. Not really. 

This was weird, because her Alex wasn’t quite as closeted. He was a ghost, and few could see him, but he’d never put himself in a closet when Julie was around. She assumed it was common knowledge, because that’s just what she’d seen. 

He was more a free spirit, no pun intended, where he did as he liked, and no one said a thing about it, because he was happy. He was open about Willie, and he wasn’t afraid to like Dirty Candy, even if Luke and Reggie didn’t as much (Reggie mostly for Carrie’s friend), and he’d had no second thoughts about getting up on that stage with them-- just dancing with a big grin on his face, completely in his element. 

“No!” Julie yelped, quick to defend the others. There was no way she’d let them go down for this. If Alex was going to hate any of them for her knowing he was gay (even though she’d learned it from him), it would be her. Because she couldn’t take his trust in the boys away. “No, no one told me—I... no one told me, I promise.” 

“How do you know then?” Alex frowned, eyes wide and panic setting in, “h-how could you tell?” 

He sounded genuinely afraid. Terrified for someone to know. 

And it took less than a second for Julie to remember where she was. _What year she was in_. 

This wasn’t twenty-twenty where pride parades popped up yearly and people in the LGBT community proudly wore rainbow clothes and pins to define who they were. Where people weren’t completely terrified to be themselves and like who they liked. 

This was nineteen-ninety-five, where people got called cruel things, and were teased and ridiculed for being who they were. Where an insult was to call someone gay. Where it was far more common for people to be sent away to conversion therapy, or get kicked out for being gay. Where liking the same sex was hated and gay people were genuinely in danger because so many people were homophobic. 

“I can’t tell you,” Julie whispered desperately, burger forgotten, “I-I wish I could, but, but I can’t.” 

And maybe that was a bit more mysterious than Alex deserved, but she couldn’t risk him knowing who she was. Where she was from. He didn’t need that stress. It was something Julie needed to face alone, and besides the boys had more important things to deal with, instead of the random girl they’d rescued. 

“I just... I knew, Alex,” Julie whispered to try and fix the mess she’d created, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—it doesn’t change anything. You’re still you. I’m sorry I know, really, I am. I just... I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t mean too-” 

“It’s alright,” Alex breathed out softly, like he was breathing himself from a panic attack. “Really, Jules,” he took another deep breath, “it’s okay. You know and... I can’t change that. I... don’t know how you know, because I know the guys wouldn’t tell, just, wow, it’s a lot to take in...” 

“It’s not alright,” Julie whispered, “I’m so sorry. I was so insensitive. It’s... it’s gotta be hard for you.” 

Alex gave a halfhearted shrug, fingers tapping on his paper soda cup that he’d picked up from beside him, “it’s better now that people know. And I didn’t even have to tell you. Not a dirty little secret anymore, you know?” 

“I get that,” Julie frowned, “who knows?” 

“The guys,” Alex informed, listing off on his fingers, “my sisters, you now. Uh, my...” Alex swallowed, eyes dropping to his lap, “my parents.” 

That didn’t sound promising. 

Julie drew in a breath, afraid of what was going to come out of Alex’s mouth next. “They, uh, weren’t the most _accepting_...” 

“Is that... why you’ve been staying in the studio?” 

Alex gave a tiny nod, refusing to look at Julie. “My sisters were... weirded out, you know? It’s not normal for, uh, for a dude to like a dude like... _that_. But they, they accepted it in the end. Accepted _me_. My mom wasn’t as accepting... could barely look at me when I told her. It sucked—she's my mom but she just looked passed me and pretended it never happened. That I wasn’t gay.” 

He paused, and Julie waited. Alex didn’t say anything for a long moment, so Julie cleared her throat, “you don’t have too-” 

“When my dad found out it was over.” 

Julie snapped her mouth shut with an audible click of her teeth. She mulled over it for half a second before she finally forced out a quiet: “what was over?” 

Alex turned to her, giving her a sad smile, “everything.” 

“He kicked me out that same night. Called me cruel names—that I won’t repeat— and then told me not to come back. He said he no longer had a son, that the family was better off without a disgrace like me, and then he chased me out. I still see my sisters sometimes, and I’ve seen my mom once, but she refused to talk to me. Haven’t seen my dad since, and I haven’t been home either.” 

“Alex,” Julie swallowed roughly, eyes welling up, “I... I’m so sorry.” 

Julie blinked away tears, leaning over to hug Alex. He looked like he needed one, and Julie certainly needed one after that. She’d never known. That had to have been awful and traumatic, and Julie knew not a single thing of it. Her Alex was just so happy. Happy, and anxious. But so completely happy to be himself. She never would’ve thought something like this could’ve happened to him. 

Alex tensed briefly at the surprise embrace, but accepted it easily and relaxed against her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders as she tucked her head under his chin and squeezed around his torso. Alex’s cheek fell onto the top of her head and then he was speaking again. 

“It’s alright,” he spoke above her, “I had the boys to catch me. They didn’t care I was gay. They were the first people I told, and I’m so glad I did because they’ve been my rocks through everything. Reggie and Luke consoled me, and promised I’d be alright—and they were right. And when Bobby found out what had happened, he took me in, and I’ve been staying at the studio since.” 

“I don’t care either,” Julie told him, pulling away from the hug. It hurt to have to say it, when it wasn’t even a question when she’d noticed her Alex spending a little too much time with Willie and blushing brightly whenever the guys brought Willie up. “You can be whoever you like, and like whoever you like, and nothing’ll change how awesome you are, Alex.” 

“You’ll do great things, and you’ll find that someone,” Julie paused, thinking fondly of that stupid love drunk face Alex always had after returning from hanging out with Willie. And how adorable he was when he’d talk about his ghost boyfriend, and suddenly she was so much prouder of Alex’s relationship with Willie, “I assure you.” 

“You think?” Alex tilted his head, smile small, but fond, “it’s hard to imagine.” 

“It’ll happen,” Julie promised, “you’ll meet the perfect guy.” 

“Thanks, Jules,” Alex gave her a crooked smile. “It’s nice to hear something like that. The guys, bless their hearts, have absolutely no idea what to say about anything.” 

Julie let out a bark of laughter, and Alex followed behind. It sounded like the guys, completely supportive, but no idea how to really support. The thought was there though, and that was always enough. 

When Julie finally calmed her giggles, she leaned over their burgers and remaining fries to set the side of her head against Alex’s arm, “you’re a great guy, Alex. You can play for any team you want too.” 

“If that’s a sports metaphor, I don’t know what it means... but thanks.” 

The smile on Alex’s face was getting brighter by the second, and it made Julie happy to see. 

“Now, let’s pick up Reggie’s burger and that pizza, because you’ve got some practicing to do. You guys will be... amazing. I... I know you will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be making up as I go along, family and sibling wise, for the guy's backstories, because we didn't get a lot in the show. Luke's might be a bit shorter because we got a fair amount of him and his parents.
> 
> Anywho! Thanks once again for all the comments and kudos I've been getting! They're so awesome to see, and I'm so sorry I suck at replying to them. Rip social anxiety and overthinking. I really do read and appreciate every single one though!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On to chapter five! Had a lot of fun with this chapter! This one'll be Luke's turn. There's some other stuff thrown in too, because I couldn't make Luke's overview too long without repeating myself, or the show. 
> 
> Anyways! Enjoy! <3

Nothing incredibly exciting happened the rest of the day and the following night. Band practice stopped for about fifteen minutes after her and Alex’s return, where the boys all enjoyed their pizza (and burger). But after that, they were back to rocking out. 

Julie was just happy to sit and listen to the guys practice excessively. They were already so good, but she knew that practice always makes better. It’s what her mom used to always tell her. 

They’d stop periodically; chat with Julie, or argue about something. Usually about a note that they were thinking about changing, or someone’s opinion about which songs went together. Usual band arguments, that Julie had had herself with these very boys. Most of them, at least. 

They even asked Julie’s opinion a bit too, since they knew she had a band as well. Jokes on them though, because they were her band. Just... not yet. But she helped where ever she could, but mostly just let them do their own thing. 

Night had approached fast, and after what felt like the blink of an eye, Alex and Bobby disappeared into the house to grab dinner. 

She hadn’t expected any food, especially after assuring them that morning that they didn’t need too, but knowing the guys, she wasn’t surprised when Alex and Bobby returned with four loaded bowls of spaghetti. 

And hidden under one of the bowls, was an empty fifth bowl. 

The guys all scooped some of their pasta from their bowls into the fifth one, making five equal bowls. Then, Alex was pulling a fork out of his shorts pocket with a grin, and sticking it in that fifth bowl. 

It was the cutest, yet, also one of the weirdest, gestures she’d ever gotten from a group of guys. It was the thought that counted though. 

The spaghetti was delicious, and Julie told the group so, which prompted a discussion of how great a cook Bobby’s mother was—which then shifted to how good’ve cookies Luke’s mom could make. Luke had tensed at the mention, but relaxed shortly after and joined in on praising his mother’s baking. And it was honestly adorable to see the guy’s faces light up with what they’d lost. 

Alex had been harboring all the grief of being kicked out by his family, and Luke had runaway to be in his band without his parent’s approval—and if Reggie was staying here too instead of being home with his family, that could only mean something equally as traumatic had to be happening at his home to drive him away. 

She’d really had no idea anything had happened to her boys. It wasn’t something you really saw in real life—at least in her life, but with everything going on in this year for her boys, she was so incredibly happy they had this. This little found family, and the band to keep them distracted and happy. 

Julie decided not to add anything on the family front, just leaving the guys to talk about their parents and their favorite foods. She didn’t want to talk about her family—her mom’s passing and the fact that she’d left her dad, little brother and best friend in a different year. 

Bedtime came and went like the evening before. It was Reggie to help Julie with her bed this time, while Luke and Alex worked on the pull-out they’d share. Alex and Luke argued halfheartedly about who had to sleep in the middle that night (Reggie was nominated in the end) as they unfolded and laid the blankets out. 

The following morning everyone was up and out before eight. Julie had been ushered out the door by Reggie before she’d even fully woken up. He hadn’t had as gentle of an approach waking her up today. But she couldn’t find it in herself to be mad at his bright grin, or Alex’s apologetic look from where he was sitting on the corner of the fold out bed. 

“Where are we going?” Julie asked from where she was squished in the back of Bobby’s car between Alex and Luke, since Reggie had excitedly called shotgun. 

It was weird being invited along, but she knew it would’ve been weirder to leave her alone at Bobby’s place. She was still a stranger, and as nice as Bobby was, she could tell he still wasn’t sure about her. 

But that feeling was definitely mutual. 

“Orpheum,” Luke explained, giving her a sideways glance. “Helps motivate us. Big aspirations, lots of practice to get there. It’s so close, but so, so far.” 

“Honestly,” Reggie shrugged from the front seat, “we just like looking at the neon sign.” 

“The light won’t even be on this early, Reg,” Alex huffed from beside Julie. 

“Oh,” Reggie frowned, turning in his seat to shoot Alex a confused look, “why’re we going then?” 

“What Luke said,” Bobby snorted from the driver’s seat. 

“Yeah,” Alex huffed, furrowing his eyebrows at Reggie, “what Luke said, but I guess Reggie likes the lights.” 

Reggie gaped around at his bandmates before he mouthed the word ‘rude’ to himself. He turned forward with a pout, focusing out the windshield. Julie lifted a hand to her mouth to stop herself from laughing at him. 

“So, is that what you were doing when you found me?” Julie asked when she was sure she wouldn’t let out a chuckle at Reggie’s actions. 

“Yep,” Alex gave a nod, “we’ve been booked for a couple weeks now, so we just like to take in the place that has made countless band’s dreams come true.” 

“And we’re next!” Reggie chirped, turning back to grin at Julie, earlier teasing forgotten. “Tomorrow we’ll get on that stage, and we’ll bring the house down!” 

“I have no doubt you will,” Julie grinned. 

They really weren’t kidding when they said they liked to just stare at the building. She could understand wanting it to bring them motivation and determination, but she also thought an hour and a half was a bit excessive to stare at a building. She was bored, and she didn’t have her phone to play around on. 

With the car ride over taking just over an hour, with the morning rush hour traffic, and the guys standing around (or sitting) just staring up at a building like it was their savior, it was just after eleven in the afternoon. 

Julie was hungry again, even though the guys had managed to bring her some bacon and a toaster waffle from Bobby’s place. She was sure they felt bad they’d forgotten her the day before, even though they shouldn’t. She still took the offered food gratefully, she was in no place to turn it down anyways. 

“Who’s up for street dogs before we head back to the studio?” Luke asked, clapping his hands together to get everyone’s attention. He licked his lips at the thought of the hotdogs, grinning brightly around at his band. 

Julie blinked away from her blank stare at the siding of the Orpheum building. Was this what people born before smart phones did for fun? Because it was beyond boring. She blinked once more before Luke’s words sunk in. 

Street dogs. The food that would kill the guys the following evening before their big debut. 

“Street dogs?” Julie choked out, nose curling in disgust. There was absolutely no way one of those dogs would so much as touch her hand. She knew what they did to people. To her phantoms. A solid no from her. 

“What?” Luke tilted his head, gaping in surprise, “never had a good street dog?” 

“No,” Julie frowned, “that doesn’t sound very appealing.” 

“They’re great,” Alex shrugged. “Good and cheap—and they’re right here on Sunset Boulevard, so easy access from the Orpheum.” 

“They’re to die for,” Reggie added with a fond look, throwing his arm over Julie’s shoulders as Luke, Alex and Bobby started to lead the group down another alley. And yeah, they certainly were to die for. Literally. The boys would find that out the hard way tomorrow evening. Julie dropped her attention down to hide her frown at that thought. 

Julie didn’t bother trying to deter the guys, since they seemed completely into the idea of hotdogs for an early lunch. There wasn’t much she could say about it that wouldn’t blow her cover or make her sound crazy. 

The vendor selling the street dogs was working on a little grill beside a car with an open hood. She could faintly see condiments and toppings sticking out from the inside the car’s hood. That in itself was a bit gross—cars had oil, and grease and other things that probably shouldn’t be beside food items. 

The place was overall just dirty and gross, littered and weathered. An obvious hideout for teenagers. There was a couch that Julie was sure would be completely soggy if she were to sit on it, and by the looks of it, it was probably filled with bedbugs or other gross things. 

It was sitting right beside a dumpster after all. 

She looked around hesitantly, frowning at... well, everything. This certainly wouldn’t pass health code. 

“Five dogs, please,” Alex ordered, to which the man manning the grill grinned. 

Julie turned away swiftly as her face scrunched up in disgust. She didn’t want to offend anyone, but she wasn’t even sure she’d eat anything from this place, even if she didn’t know what the things made here did to the guys. 

So, instead of sticking around with the guys to wait for the hotdogs to get grilled and be prepared, she made her way towards the couch. Again, she opted out of actually sitting on the couch, like she wished she could’ve with the hotdog Alex ordered for her. 

Julie let her attention catch on the wall of posters and flyers instead. There was everything on the board, items being sold, open mic night at some bar, missing pets, band posters, club posters and even a missing person poster or two. 

Her eyes studied the ones that stood out, ones with a picture on it. The words all jumbled together with the posters taped in any visible spot. So, the images were what drew in her eyes. 

Until her attention caught on one of the more front and center posters. 

A missing persons poster with a very, very familiar face on the front. 

Luke. 

That was Luke’s face. Someone, his parents most likely, had made these posters and put them up everywhere. She made eye contact with the Luke on the poster, gaping widely as her eyes scanned over the words. 

Luke was a missing person. Like, a really legit missing person. Not just a runaway—his parents had made missing posters for him. They were avidly searching for him. 

“Hey, Jules?” 

Luke jogged up to her, hand settling on her shoulder where she spun quickly and grabbed his forearm, “you’re a missing person.” 

“I-” Luke froze, before his eyes hardened, “yeah, so what?” 

He looked like he wanted to shake Julie’s grip off his arm, but he didn’t. He glanced down at her hand on his arm before letting his attention crawl back up. 

“Someone’s looking for you,” Julie stressed, someone had put the time into these posters. Someone was looking for Luke, and waiting for their phone to ring with the news that he’d been found. That he was okay, and that he was alive. And Julie couldn’t understand him not caring about that. 

Especially knowing what she knew. 

“I know,” Luke shrugged, mouth a straight line. “It's old news, they’ve been here for a few weeks.” 

“A few weeks?” Julie stopped herself from screeching the words in surprise. “A few weeks, and you haven’t thought to contact them? To let them know you’re alright?” 

“No,” Luke puffed out his chest, finally pulling his arm away from Julie’s hand, “I haven’t. You don’t understand, Julie. It was either runaway and be free to do what I want with the band-- to get the chance to make it big or stay at home and have this once in a lifetime opportunity stripped from my hands.” 

“But...” Julie drawled, unsure what to say now. She couldn’t imagine having her parents not knowing where she was. Or even imagine a few weeks without contact from them. 

It took everything in her to remember that this was angsty teenager Luke, who couldn’t see passed the band making it big. Who was mad that his parents cared enough to give him rules, and restrictions in his seventeen-year-old life. The Luke who couldn’t see his mom’s point of view when it came to the band—the doubt that it might not turn out how he pictures it, even though he’s incredibly talented. 

This wasn’t the Luke who’d died with regrets of how he’d left his parents—his mom specifically. 

This wasn’t the Luke who'd teared up while singing ‘Unsaid Emily’ to his mother while she read the lyrics Julie had delivered to her in an attempt to give them closure. 

This was the Luke angry at the world, and angry at his parents for trying to protect him. The Luke before heartbreak could really set in. 

Julie forced herself to rein in her emotions. It wasn’t her place. This wasn’t her fight. 

Everything her Luke struggled with was a result of this, and this had to happen for everything else to happen. That domino effect that was really starting to frustrate Julie. 

She couldn’t help this. This was to happen whether she interfered or not. This had already happened in her time, as far as she was concerned, and she’d had to pick up the pieces with Luke. For his sake, and his mom and dad’s sake. 

“I understand,” Julie allowed softly, and Luke turned towards her with a raised eyebrow. He looked torn between believing her, and not believing her. “Your band will be big, huge even, I believe it will but... is it worth cutting ties?” 

“To get to the top?” Luke turned to her, anger fading to a frown, “yeah. It’s not some dumb dream, Julie. My parents don’t understand—and they won’t. I’ve tried. We’re really good, you know? I know it’ll be hard, but we’ve got this.” 

Luke paused, looking at Julie before flashing a small smile, “you’re in a band, you should understand. I can’t... just stop because they don’t want me in a rock band. We’ve got to go for it, and I couldn’t be in the band like I wanted to with curfews, and lectures and just... my parents not believing in me, you know?” 

Julie didn’t say anything, not sure what to reply with. On an insane level she understood his mindset-- the anger of knowing he could do it, but the leash of still just being seventeen years old holding him back, but on the other side, she'd witness the pain this is going to cause everyone in the Patterson's. 

Luke gave a sigh, giving her a tiny upward curl of the corner of his lip, “it’s not for forever, just until I prove myself. Prove Sunset Curve. I _know_ I can do this, and I’ll show my mom I was able too. And then everything’ll go back to normal.” 

And Julie wanted so badly to tell Luke to march to his childhood home, and tell them exactly what he’d told her. She wanted to hand deliver Luke to his mother, because she knew where he lived. 

She wanted him to tell them that he was alright, and that... that he loved them. Because he’d left things on a bad note. He’d gotten angry, left his home and his parents, unknowing that it would be the last time they’d see each other. 

He’d died leaving things with his parents tense. And all three of them had to live with that. Luke’s ghost, and his parents for the rest of their lives because they hadn’t listened to him, and they’d ultimately closed him off and chased him away. 

Even if it wasn’t anyone fault, both sides still blamed themselves. And Julie couldn’t stop that. 

Julie cleared her throat in an attempt to swallow any emotion threatening to consume her. This sucked. It really, truly did. She had all this insider knowledge—of what happens to them, and what they leave behind. The emotional baggage that follows them into the afterlife, and just how... torn up Luke is by how he leaves things. But she couldn’t do a damn thing to help. Not without screwing up the future. 

She knows she shouldn’t interfere. That she couldn’t change things, but it didn’t stop the need to rescue Luke from all the pain he was setting himself up for down the road. She had to face the fact that she couldn’t help Luke, or Alex, or Reggie. 

There was nothing she could do. These were fixed things. Fixed in their time, because they all died here, and then they came back to life (kinda) in her mom’s studio. 

“Luke broke Julie,” Reggie’s voice called from Julie’s side. And it was only then that she noticed him, a decked-out hotdog in his hand, “He was the last one to talk to her.” 

“Luke,” Alex huffed, walking towards Julie with three hotdogs. “Stop breaking girls.” 

“I did not,” Luke complained, but he looked guilty. He took one of the remaining hotdogs from Alex’s hands, while Alex joined them where they were standing, holding one of the two hotdogs remaining in his hands to her. 

Julie took it into her hand silently, but had no intentions of actually eating it. Even if the guys weren’t set to die until tomorrow evening from street dogs, Julie wasn’t willing to take her chances. She still had hope of making it back to twenty-twenty. Somehow. 

Julie was able to easily hide her hotdog in the surrounding area. It could be rat food, or bird food, or whatever. It wasn’t going to be Julie food though. The boys were too absorbed in conversation to really notice, not that they weren’t shooting looks of concern her way occasionally. 

They really were out of their depth with her. And it would’ve been funny if the thought didn’t make her heart ache. 

The group made their way back to Bobby’s car when the hotdogs were gone. Julie kept a close eye on the boys in case the hotdogs decided to take them early, but they seemed fine. Plus, Bobby had eaten one too, and he lived on to be Trevor Wilson, so everyone was probably fine. 

For another day, at least. 

Back at the studio, Bobby was called away by his mother to help her with the grocery shopping for himself and the guys. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Reggie wrinkled his nose at her, “you’ve been... off?” 

“I promise,” Julie gave him a soft smile. “I think I just need a shower or something. I feel kinda gross. Been in these clothes without a wash for too long.” 

“Oh,” Reggie nodded, “I get that. I love a good shower.” 

“You don’t have any other clothes, do you?” Alex called from his drum kit, where he’s been tapping a steady beat on his kick drum. 

“No,” Julie sighed. “I can put these clothes back on though.” 

“Nonsense!” Reggie waved her off, moving to his own backpack and pulling out a white shirt, “you can wear this shirt. It’s clean. It’s band merch, size beautiful. We’ve been giving them away, to spread the word, y’know?” 

“Good plan,” Alex gave a nod to Reggie, before his nose wrinkled as Reggie’s word caught up to him, “are you going to say that to every girl you give a shirt too?” 

“I sure am,” Reggie grinned, sparing a playful wink in Julie’s direction. Julie chuckled at his teasing grin, while Alex rolled his eyes. “What? It’s true, _and_ size beautiful makes the girls smile!” 

“You do you, Reg,” Alex sighed playfully, then to Julie he continued, “just don’t get that shirt wet, it’ll fall apart at the seams.” 

“Noted,” Julie snorted a laugh, taking the tee from Reggie’s hands. 

“We’d offer you pants, but you’re short, so nothing of ours'll fit you,” Luke grinned from the couch, where his feet were kicked up on the edge of the coffee table, his guitar settled in his lap. 

“Thanks for that,” Julie pretended to be insulted, but ended up laughing. “My pants are fine. It was mostly the shirt I was worried about.” 

“You’re covered then,” Luke gave her a shrug, leaning back into the couch. 

“We’ll head out to play some basketball in the yard to give you some privacy,” Alex informed, standing from his drum set and moving towards the door. Luke groaned where he was sitting before moving to set his guitar in his stand. “Shout if you need anything,” he added as an afterthought. 

Julie stood where she was while the boys went about placing their instruments in safety before leaving out through the doors with a basketball Reggie had grabbed from the loft. 

Julie made her way into the bathroom, and was quick to jump into the shower when the studio door shut behind Luke. 

She showered as she usually did, singing whatever came to mind. It was calming, the steady stream of water, and her voice filling in the silence. Her thoughts were still heavily focused on Luke and his parents. 

So, she wasn’t surprised when ‘Unsaid Emily’ was the song she settled into as she scrubbed herself using the soap from one of the guy’s bottles of shampoo. It was a beautiful song. She’d read it that one time in the studio with Luke watching, and then she’d heard Luke sing it to his parents, even if they couldn’t hear it. 

Julie related to it as well. The familiar loss of losing a mom. Maybe in different senses, but still the same concept. Luke had poured his soul into it, and it really showed. 

She got out of the shower faster than she would’ve at home, a bit awkward in this yeah, and being surrounded by the guys in their domain. They weren’t as cautious of her here, because she was in their world instead of them being in her world. 

She dried herself off quickly with a fresh-ish smelling towel before she was pulling on the t-shirt that smelt like Reggie’s cologne, and pulling her jeans back on. 

The shirt made her smile, because it was the same design she and Flynn had found in her mom’s trunk of belongings. Except the one she was wearing wasn’t bedazzled. It was original, straight from Sunset Curve themselves. She couldn’t help the fuzzy feeling of her mom filling chest, even though this shirt had nothing to do with her mom whatsoever. 

Julie shook herself from her thoughts, and continued on with finishing up in the bathroom. 

One of the boys had left their hairbrush in the bathroom this morning in the rush to get ready, so she ran it through her hair a few times to make herself look presentable. 

And then she walked out, only to be greeted with a very unamused looking Luke. His arms crossed over his chest, but clutched in his hand and resting against his shoulder was his familiar lyric book. The same one he’d passed over in her time when he was showing her all his songs. 

“How the hell do you know that song?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luke's overview was a bit harder to work with because a lot of it was covered in the show. I tried though! Angsty boi Luke is fun to write. Hopefully it was alright. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks once more for taking the time to read, comment and leave a kudos! It so awesome to see the numbers going up with eac new chapter, really motivates me to keep this going! This is like the best I've kept up with a chaptered fic in years! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Welcome to chapter 6! We're looking at about two more chapters in this (maybe three depending on if I can figure out how to write what I'm trying too-- but two more a least!
> 
> This chapter is Reggie and Julie centric, with some other stuff thrown in too.
> 
> Hope you like it! :)

Julie froze, halfway out of the bathroom, and half way in. Frozen in the threshold, with Luke’s angry stance blocking her in. She wasn’t sure what to do, what to say, or what was even happening. 

She’d never really seen him angry—not really angry. Maybe play angry with the boys, but this was actual anger. Eyes glaring onto her, tense and ready to tear into her. 

“What song?” Julie asked slowly, shuffling where she was standing. 

“What you were singing in the bathroom,” Luke growled, “no one knows that song. No one but the band.” 

“How’d you know what I was singing?” Julie frowned; a bit freaked out that they’d heard. And she couldn’t even remember what she’d been singing to herself now. With the pressure of trying to remember she literally couldn’t, not that she ever kept track of what she sang when she thought no one was listening. 

“Thin walls,” Alex piped in from where he and Reggie were stood in the studio doorway. He looked flustered, and embarrassed that they’d heard her without her consent, “We weren’t eavesdropping, I promise. That would be beyond weird...” 

The two boys in the doorway looked unsure of the situation. Like they wanted to be on Luke’s side and be mad at her for knowing the song, or maybe that they were disappointed she’d looked in Luke’s song book (which she had not), but needed to find out the truth before jumping to conclusions. 

“Seriously, Julie,” Luke hissed, drawing her attention back onto him, “I wrote that song for someone special, we haven’t played it in weeks, and never in front of an audience: how do you know it?” 

“Unsaid Emily?” Julie whispered to herself in sudden understanding. Everything clicked suddenly, the song, Luke’s defensiveness, this mess she’d just walked out into. Luke’s eyebrows furrowed, and his glare hardened. 

“You were snooping, weren’t you?” The growl in his voice was almost scary, if Julie didn’t know Luke like she did. “Figures! We take you in, and let you hang out and you snoop through my stuff and steal my song!” 

And Julie’s jaw dropped. He thought she was snooping? He thought she’d _stolen_ ‘Unsaid Emily’? It was rich coming from the same ghost who’d deliberately searched through her dream box after she’d told him not too. That accusation however... wouldn’t make sense, since Luke hadn’t done that yet. 

But still, she’d never snoop in someone’s personal items. Songs especially. She’d rather die herself before stealing someone else’s personal song. She didn’t roll like that. She was no Trevor Wilson, and honestly, the accusation from Luke hurt, even if he wasn’t really her Luke. 

“I was not!” Julie defended herself, but she knew there was no correct way to answer this. She wasn’t going to be able to talk herself out of this one as gracefully as she had with the Alex situation from the day before. She honestly could’ve just assumed Alex was gay, she could get away with that—she couldn’t assume all the lyrics of Luke’s personal song. “And I’d never steal a song!” 

There was no excuse she could give that could explain her knowing the very personal song Luke had written for his mother. They wouldn’t even believe her if she tried to come clean and explain everything. Not that there was any sane way to tell them what was really going on. 

“You read my song book. My personal property,” Luke gave a dark laugh, “there’s literally no other way you could’ve known the song.” 

“I didn’t read your book,” Julie defended herself again, voice just as challenging as his, taking a step towards him and not backing down, “I didn’t even know where your song book was. I’ve literally been with you guys the since I met you--” 

“And what about when we all left the studio so you could shower?” Luke glared. 

“I’m good, Luke,” Julie glared right back, “but even I’m not good enough to learn a whole song in the minute I was alone in the studio before going to the shower. I’m not even good enough to learn a whole song in the fifteen minutes you guys were out of the studio for. I was in the shower, Luke, and look,” Julie held up a clump of her wet hair, “wet. I was in the bathroom, showering, and your book was out here somewhere. There’s literally no time I could’ve learned Unsaid Emily.” 

And Luke faltered, nose scrunching up in surprise. 

Reggie let out a quiet ‘oo’ sound from the door way, making Julie’s eyes shift towards the two. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alex backhand him gently in the chest to quiet him. Then her attention was back on Luke, guard up. 

“That doesn’t explain anything,” Luke’s face hardened again, but he no longer looked as sure. “No one knows that song. And suddenly after the two days you’ve been here, you know it? Something doesn’t add up there, Julie!” 

“Nothing adds up!” Julie exclaimed hysterically, knowing she shouldn’t, but not being able to contain herself, “nothing adds up, Luke! Yeah, I know the song you wrote for your mom, sorry I do! But I didn’t steal it, or snoop through anything to find it!” 

She paused, turning away from him, as Luke’s voice dropped in a quiet, “how did you know it was written for my mom? That’s not even written anywhere...” 

“Same way I knew Alex was gay,” Julie gestured easily to Alex, who blinked in surprise at being brought into the conversation, before giving the guys a dip of his head to confirm her words were true. “I know things, and I can’t explain it, and you guys won’t understand it— _I_ don’t understand it!” 

“Still,” Luke frowned, looking more defeated than anything else, “it’s personal, Julie. Even if... if you do know it somehow, without finding it yourself, it’s personal. You shouldn’t be singing it!” 

“I forgot the world revolved around you,” Julie brushed off a stray tear—days of confusion and hurting finally surfacing. Maybe it sounded mean, but she really didn’t have the willpower to deal with this angsty teen side of Luke right now, “I forgot you’re the only one who’s lost their mom in some way or another—sorry I related to your song, and found it beautiful, because it is, Luke.” 

She drew in a hard breath, “you wrote it, and I know it has a deeper meaning to you because you wrote it for someone specifically, but... but you’re not the only one who feels that way! Your mom is at your house waiting for you, she’s there, and she’s waiting.” Julie dropped her eyes to the floor, turning away from all the guys in a moment of weakness, “not all of us get that, Luke.” 

“Julie...” Luke’s hand reached out for her, but she pulled away. Alex and Reggie had moved in slowly and silently, no longer standing in the doorway, but watching the scene unfold. 

The door was still open, so Julie took the opportunity to jog towards it, pausing with her palm planted on the other door. “I have to go,” Julie swallowed, ignoring the guy’s gaped expressions, “I didn’t steal the song, and I didn’t find it anywhere, sorry I gave you the impression I’d ever do that.” 

“I-” Luke gaped, opening and closing his mouth like a fish as he tried to piece a sentence together. 

Julie waved him off, with a halfhearted flap of her hand. It fell flat though, and her arm dropped to her side sadly, “don’t worry about it. And don’t worry about me, I’ll just... I don’t know,” a sad laugh, “I'll make it work. Thanks for letting me stay, sorry for intruding.” 

She turned quickly, ignoring the boys calling her name. 

This was usually the point where she’d lock herself in her bedroom and ignore her idiot bandmates, but she couldn’t do that here. She couldn’t hide herself in her room, but she really needed to get away before she let anything else slip. 

If they were following her, they were slow. And if not, it was fine. She’d gotten to meet her boys when they were alive, and that’s all she could’ve asked for. Besides, this just gave her time to focus on finding her way out of here. Out of this year. 

She wanted to go home, and see her dad, and her brother and Flynn, and especially see her phantoms. The boys she knew, and who knew her too. She missed them, even though she’d been with them the whole time she’d been in nineteen-ninety-five. It really wasn’t the same. 

She brushed the tears from her face as she moved, sprinting away from the house and studio until she was far enough that she’d be left alone for a while if they had followed her. She drew in fast breaths, kicking a small rock as she walked. 

To where? She didn’t know. 

She wondered around for a while. Her tears had long since dried up, and now she was mostly beating herself up over what she’d said to Luke. What she’d told the guys. It was stupid, but she really hadn’t been able to hold it in any longer. 

She always had the option of talking to someone; Flynn, her dad—even her therapist. But she didn’t have that here. She was alone in this. 

She ended up at the beach somehow. It hadn’t changed much—it was the ocean. A few buildings had been built around it in the years to come, and there were some houses along the shoreline that weren’t there when Julie was born. 

She used to come here with her parents and Carlos when they were younger. A day at the beach, where she and Carlos would build sand castles, and her mom would sing to them—her dad would pick the two of them up and drop them in the ocean. Happy times. 

She moved towards the ocean, shoes sinking in the sand as she moved. She sat a distance away, where the tide wasn’t going to get her. Last thing she needed was to be wet when it started to get colder as the night drew closer. 

It was peaceful—familiar. If she stared long enough, she could almost see figments of her family’s day trips, the four of them splashing in the water and laughing. Before her mom passed away. 

Julie drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and settling her chin on the indent between her knees. She dug her toes into the sand, sure she’d end up with sand in her shoes when she finally decided to stand up. 

She sat for... she didn’t even know how long. A while. An hour or two, at least. 

“I don’t know why I thought you’d be here,” Julie lulled her head in the direction of the voice, eyes landing on Reggie, who was awkwardly stood behind her like he was afraid to get too close, “I’m glad I did though, we’ve been looking everywhere...” 

“You shouldn’t've been,” Julie looked back towards the ocean, voice soft. “I thought you guys would’ve wanted me gone.” 

“We don’t,” Reggie’s voice replied, just as soft as Julie’s, “of course we don’t. And we weren’t just going to let you leave on terms like that. You’re amazing, Julie, and we’d be stupid to let you leave like that. Besides, you said you had nowhere to go after all. A fight with Luke isn’t going to change that, even if you felt like you were supposed to go.” 

“There’s here,” Julie shrugged, curling in on herself a bit more with a gust of chilly ocean breeze. “The beach is a nice place.” 

“I don’t recommend sleeping here,” Reggie snorted, “been there, done that, and it’s not as pleasant as it sounds. Someone dropped a crab on me to wake me up-- my money’s on my brother.” 

“You’ve slept here before?” Julie raised an eyebrow, “why?” 

Reggie moved slowly to sit down beside her, turning his head to look at one of the houses off to the side, “that one,” he pointed, Julie’s eyes following his point, “is my house. I spent a lot of time down here growing up.” 

“That’s your house?” Julie tilted her head. That was one of the houses that got torn down to build a bike shack. “It’s nice.” 

“Thanks,” Reggie grinned, but it was short lived. He stared longingly at the building, and Julie bit her lip to keep from mentioning it. She’d already invaded on Alex and Luke, last thing she needed was to say something wrong to Reggie too. 

Her attention drifted back to the ocean, waves crashing softly against the sand. 

“You’re... not from around here, are you?” Reggie’s voice asked carefully. She could feel him looking at her, trying to figure her out, and she honestly wished him good luck with that. 

She gave a small shake of her head, “not really, no.” 

It was hard to explain—she'd grown up here... but not here exactly. This was before her time, but she’d still grown up here. In Bobby’s house specifically. After Bobby and his family had moved out. 

“I... really wish I could explain, but...” 

“You can’t?” Reggie turned to her, a small, knowing smile. “I get it, don’t worry.” 

“You... get it?” Julie blinked. 

“Yeah,” Reggie leaned back, hands burying into the sand to support him, “I didn’t tell the guys what was going on at home for a long time. It wasn’t need to know information, like I’m assuming yours isn’t either?” 

Julie turned her torso to look at Reggie, but he was staring off to sea now. She wanted to question it, but she had also learned her lesson about invading. She really didn’t know much about Reggie; besides how playful and loyal he was—a golden retriever in human form. And that he could totally shred on the bass. 

“My parents fought a lot,” Reggie continued into the silence of the beach, “over just about everything. Money, the house. Me, my brother, our school grades... the band. Each other. I don’t think I can remember a memory where some kind of argument didn’t take place.” 

“Reggie--” 

“Please don’t apologize,” Reggie sighed, throwing his head back to look up at the sky that was clouding slowly over, “I don’t like when people do, it not your fault. I’m not telling you for pity, I’m telling you so you know.” 

Julie opened and closed her mouth once, then a second time before shutting it. Reggie looked her way for a second, before continuing where he’d left off. 

“Besides, it didn’t bother me much when I was younger. My brother and I... we’d just come down to the beach and hang out. Play around in the water, and try to forget it all. It usually wasn't about us, so it was easier to pretend it wasn’t happening.” 

“I’m glad you had someone,” Julie told him honestly, “that you weren’t alone.” 

As much as Carlos tended to get on her nerves, she’d never want to see what life without him would be like. He was annoying, like most siblings were, but he was hers. He was her little brother, and he always would be. Just like she was his big sister, and she’d always be there for him. It was mutual, and she knew it. 

“Yeah,” Reggie gave a fond smile, “he’s a great brother.” 

“Where is he? Did... he stay at your house with your parents when you left?” 

“No,” Reggie gave a sigh, “he and my dad got into an argument about... colleges, I think. I don’t even know. I can’t remember it well-- I was pretending it wasn’t happening to be honest. He’s a few years older than I am, so, college is the next stage for him. He... wanted to go to one out of the state, and my parents wanted him here. So, he just... packed up and left in the middle of the night. He was just gone the next morning.” 

“Reg-” 

“I didn’t tell the guys. Didn’t think it really mattered. They knew my folks were always arguing, but they knew I always had my brother to soften the blow—keep me distracted and protected. And everything was already going on with Alex and his family, and Luke and parents, which, I’m honestly surprised they told you about, but anyways, I needed to be there for them--” 

“But who was there for you?” Julie looked towards the older boy. 

“The guys were, don’t worry,” Reggie assured fondly, “I couldn’t keep it a secret long. My parents had this huge blow out one night, screaming at the top of their lungs about me, and... and my dad punched the wall-- put a huge hole in it, and it was so loud with the drywall crumbling, and... I thought he was coming for me next. I don’t think he would’ve, when I think about it now, but it was so loud, and I was scared. You never really know what people are capable of when they’re mad and screaming at each other... Scared me pretty bad, so I jumped out the window and rode my bike to the studio.” 

“I’m sor-” 

“Nuh uh,” Reggie shook his head, “what did I say about apologies?” 

Julie snapped her mouth shut, much to Reggie’s amusement. He let out a laugh, and Julie gave him a smile in return. 

“I couldn’t keep it a secret after that. Not when it was bad enough that I’d bailed out my bedroom window and ridden in the pouring rain to the studio in pajamas. Alex and Luke... they were great. Even though they were already dealing with their own problems, and helping the other out with theirs, mine were just as important to them, even if I didn’t think they were.” 

Julie gave the older boy a smile, happy with the outcome. Happy Reggie was safe, and happier with the boys than he was at home. 

“I don’t have the same problems as Luke, or Alex—” he continued, “I wasn’t kicked out, and I didn’t _really_ leave on bad terms. I could probably return anytime and they’d barely have noticed I was gone between all the fighting. They just need to sort themselves out, or decide to finally get a divorce, which I wouldn’t be completely against, and... I can’t be there while they do it.” 

“That... sucks, Reggie,” Julie managed, “I know you don’t want me to apologize, but I really am sorry that happened to you. My parents weren’t like that and... I can’t imagine having to deal with that. It was bad enough when they argued over the little things like vacation destinations, I can’t imagine constant fighting.” 

“Some people just aren’t meant to end up together,” Reggie shrugged, “no one's fault. I’d rather them be happy separated than always mad and upset together, you know? I love them both, just... not when they’re together, if that makes sense?” 

“I get it,” Julie nodded. 

“Anyways, Bobby found the three of us in the studio the following morning, like I knew he would when he came down to get Alex and Luke for breakfast. He promised I could stay too, before he’d even heard what happened. And that’s how the three of us ended up sharing the pull-out, not that we minded squishing together in a bed-- and it was nice to just be with the guys and not have to worry about anyone punching a hole in the wall, or screaming for no reason. They were the closest to family I’d had since my brother hopped on a one-way flight out of the state.” 

“Wow, Reg,” Julie sighed, “I had no idea...” 

Reggie turned to look at her, eyebrow raised, “of course you didn’t, because I just told you.” 

He played it off with a laugh, which Julie returned for his sake. She still couldn’t help but feel guilty she hadn’t known. Sure, her ghosts had never told her, but she’d never asked. She’d just assumed they were alright because they appeared to be. 

“I’m a lot better away from them. I think we all needed time apart. But I still... fighting sets me off. I can’t stand it, brings things back. It slips the guys minds sometimes when they’re mad.” 

And that... made sense. Julie had seen Alex and Luke argue, and even Luke and herself a couple times, and on very, very rare occasions, Reggie with one of the guys and usually Reggie was gone halfway through. Poofed from the room when things got loud, or arguments got intense. The guys always looked guilty when they noticed Reggie was gone, one of them usually poofing out after him. 

Julie had never known though. No one had told her Reggie’s anxiety about fighting. And she felt stupid she’d never pieced it together. All that proof had been there, she’d just never clicked it together. That she’d caused grief for him, even if it was unintentional. 

“I’m so sorry,” Julie frowned, “the fighting today... I didn’t know. I hope you know I didn’t take anything from you guys, and I never would-- and that I didn’t snoop through anything either.” 

“We know,” Reggie gave her a nod, “Alex told us about your conversation at lunch yesterday, about how you knew he was--” Reggie left it hanging, shrugging his shoulders, “and now you know the song when there’s literally no way you could know anything about that.” 

He paused before he was turning to her and raising a curious eyebrow, “you’re not a witch, are you? Because that would answer _so many_ questions...” 

“No!” Julie yelped in surprise, but the absurdity of the question had her cackling like a witch, which... probably wasn’t helping her case. “I promise, I’m not a witch.” 

“If you’re sure,” Reggie shrugged, but he was smiling too. 

Silence settled around them. Julie just enjoyed the ocean sounds: like the waves crashing to shore, and the seagulls crying out in the water. It was getting colder now, so she wrapper her arms around herself. The t-shirt really wasn’t doing her any favors in keeping her warm. 

“So... I guess Luke’s pretty mad at me, huh?” 

Reggie tore his eyes from the ocean, glancing at Julie thoughtfully, “nah. He’s got nothing to be mad about, we don’t know the details, but we know you couldn’t have learned the song in the two days you’ve been here.” 

“And there’s like no way you could’ve known about Alex. No one else ever has, and he had to come out to me and the guys before we even suspected a thing—and we’ve known him since we were really young-- and even when he did come out, it was still a total surprise.” Reggie continued, shooting Julie a confused sideways glance. He looked at her like he didn’t understand her, and she couldn’t blame him, because she didn’t understand herself either. 

“But still,” Julie frowned, “I said some... pretty mean things to him.” 

“And he said some back,” Reggie shrugged. “Trust me, Luke jumps the gun sometimes—gets too invested in his songs and lashes out before he thinks it through. It’s not the first time.” 

“I was singing his song.” 

“Yeah,” Reggie lulled his head in her direction, “he still should’ve let you explain. Don’t worry though, Alex and I gave him a piece of our minds, he’s sorry too. Just like I know you are.” 

“Are you sure?” Julie frowned, shivering once again with the breeze. 

“Well,” Reggie started as he shrugged his plaid flannel off his shoulders and set the fabric over Julie’s own shoulders. It was instantly warmer, and Reggie’s grin was too cute, “we wouldn’t be out searching for you if we weren’t all sorry about how you’d left.” 

Reggie pushed himself up to his feet, then held his hand out for Julie to take. “We should get back- that is, if you want to come back. You don’t have to, if you don’t want. But we’d really like to know you’re safe.” 

“I’d... like to come back,” Julie accepted, taking Reggie’s offered hand and letting him help her up. Standing, she finally slipped her arms into the sleeves of the flannel he’d put over her, snuggling into the warmth. Reggie smiled fondly, throwing his arm over her shoulder like he had when they’d gone for street dogs earlier that day. 

She was honestly so glad she was learning so much about her boys, and she’d be sure to hold on to this when she was back in her year, with her phantoms instead of Sunset Curve. She really did miss them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly love Reggie so much, he's just such a cinnamon roll. Anywho, I hope you liked a bit of Reggie's back story! Lemme know which back story you liked most/ whose you think was most suited to them? I'm curious lol
> 
> As always, comments greatly appreciated, as are kudos, and simply taking the time to read! I appreciate every single one of you, you've all been so kind!
> 
> See you next chapter! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again! 
> 
> So, as of now, if you didn't see, there will be two more chapters after this one. I figured out how to do the one I wanted (this chapter) and I like how it turned out, so I hope you do too!
> 
> Anywho, without spoiling anything, enjoy!

“I found her!” Reggie announced when he and Julie stepped back into the studio. Alex and Luke both looked worried, Luke strumming halfheartedly on his guitar, while Alex looked like he’d been stuck in a loop of pacing the floor. 

“Julie!” Alex let out a sigh of relief, “you’re okay!” 

“I’m fine,” Julie promised with a small smile. 

“You are not allowed to run away,” Reggie scolded her playfully, the serious, concerned Reggie from the beach gone and replaced with the Reggie she was familiar with. “We can run away from parents, but not each other, it’s a house rule under this roof.” 

“Got it,” Julie gave Reggie a fond giggle, before looking around at Alex and Luke. Luke almost looked like he was pouting, unsure what to say, while Alex looked beyond relieved that Reggie had located her. She really hadn’t thought these guys, Sunset Curve, would’ve cared this much that she’d disappeared. Her boys, definitely, but these guys, she was surprised they cared this much. 

“Seriously though, I’m glad you’re okay,” Alex pulled her into a hug when he was close enough, catching Reggie too, who was stood shoulder to shoulder with Julie. Reggie returned the hug before Julie did, but she followed suit right after. 

She wouldn’t admit it, but she really had needed a hug. Preferably from her dad, or Flynn, or even Carlos, but now that she had one from Alex, his was just as good. No complaints. 

“I’m alright,” Julie promised as she pulled away from the hug, nodding in Alex’s direction before looking towards Luke, who was avoiding her gaze, “very sorry about the things I said, but other than that, I’m alright.” 

“You’re sorry too?” Luke perked up, setting his guitar on the couch beside him before jumping to his feet and stepping towards Julie quickly, “so am I, I didn’t even let you try to explain. I felt so bad when you left...” 

“Yeah, he kinda goes insane over his songs,” Alex informed, even though Julie knew as much. Both from ghost Luke and how protective he’d been over his songs Bobby had stolen, as well as from Reggie explaining to her. 

“See?” Reggie gestured jokingly towards Alex while his eyes were locked on Julie, “I told you. He’s like a rabid dog when it comes to his songs.” 

“Quit it,” Luke pouted, “they’re personal... You guys should he happy I share with you at all—I could totally pull off a solo career, rock bands are just cooler.” 

“Oh, we know,” Reggie teased. “You like us too much to go solo.” 

“Definitely,” Alex agreed, grin wide, “I don’t even think you could pull off a solo career, you need usss. Who’ll stop you from biting people’s heads off when they sing your songs if we’re not around?” 

Reggie let out a snort of laughter, while Luke looked offended, nose wrinkled in offense. He didn’t say anything to refute it though, and that almost made Julie laugh. 

“Anyway,” Reggie called attention to himself, looking mostly towards Luke, “sorry we were a bit late coming back, I was just telling Julie why you were such a jerk about the song. Because you totally were.” 

“Yeah,” Luke ducked his head, “I totally was. I’m real sorry, Jules. It’s just a really personal song and... my mom hasn’t even heard it yet. It’s for her, you know? I was a bit surprised to hear it from outside, let along from someone who couldn’t know it.” 

“I understand,” Julie gave him a smile, she touched his hand with her own before pulling back, “I didn’t snoop or anything, and I wish I could tell you why I know it, but... I really can’t. Not yet.” 

“Not yet?” Luke frowned. 

Julie scrunched up her face, already hating her next words, “I can... I’ll tell you everything after your show tomorrow night. How about that?” 

It was the hardest thing she’d ever had to promise. A promise to do something when she knew the guys wouldn’t be around for it in the end. A promise she’d never had to fulfill because they would never get to play the show tomorrow. She’d never have to tell them, because they wouldn’t be there for her to tell. 

It sucked that she had to make a promise like that, but she needed them off her back, and she wasn’t about to tell them who she really was. Not yet. Probably not at all. It was weird enough for the guys to accept they were ghosts (Alex especially), she didn’t want to freak them out with this. 

“Really?” Alex questioned, tilting his head. He looked skeptical, which was understandable, since Alex had been the first one she’d brushed off. 

“Yeah,” Julie sighed, “I promise. Tomorrow after your show, I’ll tell you guys everything, alright?” 

“If you're sure,” Reggie frowned from the chair in the corner of the room. “You don’t have too, if it’s not need to know-” 

“-but we are all curious,” Luke cut Reggie off, “you do know... a lot about us, when we’ve never met you—wait, we haven’t met you, have we?” 

“No,” Julie shook her head, “you guys haven’t met me before. It’ll all make sense tomorrow.” 

“Welp,” Alex shrugged, plopping down on the couch, “nothing we can do about it then, we’ll just have to wait until tomorrow night to find out.” 

“You really know how to tease guys, Jules,” Luke huffed a laugh, “this isn’t even the fun teasing.” 

“I agree,” Reggie sighed, but his smile was wide and teasing. 

“Gross,” Alex furrowed his eyebrows at Luke and Reggie. Then to Julie, he gave her a sheepish smile, “no offense to you.” 

“None taken,” Julie laughed. She paused, glancing towards the door like Bobby was going to magically make his way in. When he didn’t, she turned back towards the guys, “now, where’s Bobby? Shouldn’t you guys be practicing for tomorrow?” 

“He got in trouble,” Luke sighed, sitting on the couch with Alex and flopping across his lap, “his mom’s keeping him in for the night, which sucks because we really should be practicing. Our show is so close... he’s lucky we’ve got all day tomorrow to practice, or I’d be mad.” 

“Yeah,” Alex frowned, “but at least he got grounded tonight only, and not tomorrow night. We’d’ve been screwed if he’d gotten grounded tomorrow too.” 

“I doubt Bobby’s parents would keep him from the show tomorrow,” Reggie shrugged, “they're cool about, like, everything, even if they are parents still.” 

“True,” Luke pointed in Reggie’s direction from where he was lying to show he agreed. 

“So, what are you guys doing for the night then?” Julie asked, moving to sit on one of the chairs off to the side of the coffee table, as much as she would’ve liked to sit on Luke. “What do you usually do when Bobby isn’t around?” 

“Turn in early?” Reggie suggested with a shrug of his shoulder, “what else is there to do?” 

“Dude,” Alex huffed, “it’s like six PM, we’re not going to bed yet.” 

“I think it would be cool if Julie gave us a taste of her voice,” Luke grinned, still lounging in Alex’s lap. He sat up with his next words, pulling himself to the edge of the couch, “we only heard bits and pieces between the running water and the doors, but I’m sure you could totally rock out to something your band has written, right?” 

“First,” Julie raised an eyebrow, “it’s still weird you heard that.” Alex gave a knowing nod as all three of them shared a guilty look, “second, I uh, don’t know about that?” 

“Why?” Alex blinked, “you sounded amazing, Julie.” 

“Totally,” Reggie jumped in, “your band has to be pretty amazing if they’re up to par with your voice! You might even be better than Luke-” 

“Woah, hey!” Luke scowled, “not cool, Dude.” 

Reggie turned to give Luke a sheepish look, but didn’t look like he was going to retract his comment. 

“We’re all equally good, I’m sure,” Julie told the guys, giving them all a sideways glance. She knew they could all sing, and the way they all harmonized made them even stronger than just a lead, or leads. “My band and I have this awesome connection, and it’s amazing.” 

“Us too!” Reggie chirped, “it’s pretty cool.” 

Julie gave a laugh, because she knew of their connection well. It was a bit fun knowing more than she led on, even though it had gotten her in quite a bit of trouble. She was just so lucky the guys were being this understanding, because she was almost certain her phantoms would not accept her secrecy quite as easily. 

She would’ve been completely screwed if they’d decided somewhere along the road that she wasn’t trustworthy because she hadn’t told them anything, but knew so much. Honestly, these boys were far too good for their own good, alive or as ghosts. 

“Where is your band?” Luke asked as he ran his fingers through his hair, “I mean, if one of my guys was gone, I’d be searching day and night.” 

Any that made Julie smile, because they really had looked for her. Her bandmates, even if they didn’t know they were her bandmates yet, had been looking everywhere for her just hours before when she’d run out on them. 

She sobered with a sigh, ducking her attention as she thought about what her boys might be up too, “I don’t know where they are. I hope they’re looking for me but I don't even know if they know I’m gone...” 

“You don’t have to tell us,” Alex assured quietly after Julie paused to think about how to continue, “it doesn’t matter. For the record, they’d be stupid not to be looking for you though.” 

“Thanks, Alex,” Julie managed a smile. 

“So...” Luke called lowly, gaining everyone’s attention. He looked towards Julie, eyes wide and excited, “where do we stand on the whole singing thing, Jules?” 

“I mean...” Julie frowned, “I... guess I could. It’ll be weird without my boys though. I don’t really sing without backup- whether it’s the piano, or my band.” 

“We’ve got a keyboard?” Reggie suggested, making his way to the loft stairs, but pausing at the bottom in case Julie turned down the suggestion, “definitely not as good as a piano, but it’ll do, won’t it?” 

“It’ll do,” Julie shrugged, “there... there’s just no song I can really do by myself--” She thought briefly through her and Luke’s list of songs they’d written together, before her thoughts fell back to her mother and the song that had ultimately brought back that spark of music in her life, “--there’s only one song I think I can confidently do by myself, but it wasn’t really written by the band...” 

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Alex promised from his seat, “you don’t even have to, but--” 

Luke jumped in quickly, jumping to his feet as he did so, “we’d really, really love it if you did.” 

“Uh,” Reggie huffed from where he was draped over the railing on the loft stairs, waiting for confirmation before making the trip up for the keyboard, “so, should I be getting the keyboard, or...?” 

“Sure,” Julie flashed a smile in Reggie’s direction, “get that keyboard.” 

The older boy flashed a smile just as bright in return before making his way up the steps two at a time. 

It really didn’t take long for the guys to get the keyboard set up, and before Julie knew it, she was stood in front of said keyboard, and her tiny audience of three supportive faces. Alex and Reggie were sitting on the couch, while Luke had seated himself on the table, almost bouncing in anticipation. 

“Right, uh,” Julie shook off her nerves. She’d sung for these guys loads of time, but... not _these_ guys. “This song is called Wake Up, and uh, I’ve never really played it for anyone? Kinda?” 

The first few lines were weird to sing for other people. It was a personal song, that her mom had left for her. But, at the same time, she figured it was fair to share with the guys, because she’d known Luke’s song. And this couldn’t have that bad of consequences, right? It’s not like it was a song they’d made together, or something she’d helped Luke finish from his song book. 

They guys watched her closely, smiles bright, and eyebrows furrowed like she’d been hiding some hidden gift from them—or, Luke at least. 

The fond looks were enough to really make her throw herself into the lyrics. It was so easy to put on a show, especially in front of these guys. She played it easily, getting lost in the music like she always did. Her singing taking her away, like she always felt when she played things her mom had written, or things they’d made together. 

Julie’s fingers flew across the keyboard like it was second nature, her word bleeding with emotion as she recited the word to herself, listening to her mother’s words for her and letting them guide her. She really needed to hear the song, especially with how far away she felt from her mom, and her family right now. 

Her mother always knew what to say, even in a situation like this apparently. 

Julie let the keys end the song, before she reached up to wipe under her eyes, just knowing she’d let herself cry while lost in the song. She couldn’t help it when she sang the song. It was always a reminder of what she’d lost, but also what was to come. A truly beautiful and uplifting song. 

“Julie...” Alex’s voice broke the silence after her notes had fallen silent. She wiped her eyes once more, before she was looking towards the boys. “That was beautiful,” he told her honestly, “like, really, really beautiful.” 

“Thanks,” she cleared her throat, “I’m glad you liked it.” 

“Did... did you write that?” Luke asked slowly, watching Julie closely, like she was going to start bawling, “it was... just wow, Jules.” 

“Uh, no,” Julie shook her head, running her palms down her cheeks just to make sure she’d gotten all the tears. “It’s my mom’s. She wrote it for me.” 

“Oh,” Reggie whispered, “she writes beautiful music. That’s some serious talent.” 

“She did,” Julie sighed, hating to repeat herself with these guys, since she’d already told her Phantoms of what had happened. It was only fair, since she knew so much about them. It still hurt so much to talk about her mom, but she owed them this much. “She... passed away a while ago.” 

“Julie...” Alex frowned, standing up and moving to hug her over the keyboard, “I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Julie whispered into his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut, “it’s getting better now. My band has really helped me through it. They brought music back into my life.” 

“We should totally thank them then,” Luke replied teasingly, voice still softer than it usually was, “that really was incredible, Julie.” 

Both Luke and Reggie had moved to join Alex at the keyboard, not quite knowing what to say, or what to do, but still wanting to be there. Alex pulled back slowly, and Julie managed a smile at the three of them, “it’s a lot better with the band, and the background beats.” 

“That’s hard to imagine. It was perfect with just you and the piano.” Alex gave her a smile, “I could see some drumming in the background though—lowkey of course, because it shouldn’t take away from your voice.” 

“Yeah,” Julie agreed. “I wish I could show you guys some of our other songs, I’m sure you’d love them.” 

“Yeah, that would be awesome,” Reggie frowned, “I’m just glad you sang for us. I’m proud of you.” 

“Thanks, Reg,” Julie snorted a laugh at her friend’s honest pride. He grinned brightly in reply, patting Julie’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. 

“Man,” Luke sighed fondly, “if that’s just you going, I can’t wait to see your band make it big, if they’re anything as good as you.” 

“Oh, they are,” Julie promised with an adorning grin. “Probably the best I’ve ever heard—except you guys, of course.” 

The guys all made faces like the didn’t quite believe her, but Julie just laughed. 

“I just wish you could play another one for us,” Reggie pouted, “now _that_ would be awesome.” 

“Sorry, no,” Julie laughed, “not without my boys, it wouldn’t feel right playing our songs without them.” 

“Understandable,” Luke gave a nod, biting his lip before jumping back into speaking, “I just can’t see why you guys haven’t started performing yet, if you’re that good. You’d be playing the Orpheum in no time!” 

“We’ll get there,” Julie promised with a laugh, “we’ll get there someday, and it’ll be the best.” 

“Of course,” Reggie grinned, “and we’ll be in the front row of that show cheering you on, alright?” 

Luke and Alex were quick to agree, grins bright and motivating. And that warmed Julie’s heart, by just how sweet they were. How supportive they were, even when they didn’t really know her. 

“Thanks, guys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so close to being finished this fic, guys! And I'm both sad and happy about that. Happy for another complete multichaptered fic, and happy to fulfil my JatP hyperfocus (since I've been letting Tumblr prompts fall behind). But also sad it's ending, because I really enjoyed writing this fic and seeing your guy's comments!
> 
> I was going to try to make the guys all joining in with Julie singing one of their songs from 2020, but couldn't figure out how to make that work, so I settled for this and I quite like it! Also, almost finished the next chapter, and it'll be out within the next few days, so keep an eye out for that!
> 
> As always, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment, kudos, or even just to read this! It so awesome to see, and I'm so happy this fic has done so well thus far! Thank you all! <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! This chapter's a doozy, so be prepared. Possibly the angstiest chapter yet!
> 
> Fluff, feels, angst... it's all here friends.
> 
> Without further ado, enjoy!

The following morning Julie got to sleep in a bit. Not much, but a bit longer than yesterday at least. 

When she did get woken up, it was by bright, unrestrained Sunset Curve members cheering and practically glowing in excitement. They were all hype and no chill as they worked on packing up their instruments and equipment. 

She wasn’t even really sure they remembered she was asleep on the floor until she sat up and all three of her boys grinned at her. Bobby had his back turned to her as he loaded his rhythm guitar into its hardcase, but she could almost assume he was just as cheery as her phantoms. 

“We’re playing the Orpheum!” Reggie called in excitement when he finally noticed her eyes on them. He beamed before repeating his words in an almost mantra of cheerfulness, “we’re playing the Orpheum!” 

“You are!" Julie replied, trying to match his enthusiasm as she wiped sleep from her eyes. “You guys are going to be amazing, I know it!” 

“We’ll rock this,” Luke grinned as he took great care in zipping his guitar in a fabric case. “Can we just take a moment to appreciate this? Us, playing the Orpheum?” 

“We’ve waited so long,” Alex chimed in, carefully disassembling his drums for easier transportation. His grin was wide too, matching his bandmates easily. “It’s finally our night, guys.” 

Julie watched as the guys took great care in making sure their instruments were set for the drive to the Orpheum. It was different than them just thinking about their instruments and having them poof to them like magic. Alex wrapped his drums in blankets and carefully loaded them into the back of Bobby’s car. 

Julie thought about offering to help, but they all looked pretty wired, and that usually resulted with them being overly protective of their precious instruments. And the last thing she needed was to accidentally drop something right before the guys were supposed to play. Even if this show felt further away that it really should considering it was supposed to be tonight. 

Julie never had this problem with the grand piano, because it was not transported anywhere, and very few came into the studio to see it. Plus, it was only her, her family, the guys and Flynn who ever really saw it, or sat at it. And she all trusted them with her life, let alone just her mom’s piano. 

The guys continued on with excited conversation, hyping each other up and grinning ear to ear. 

And as much as Julie wanted to hold on to the background reminder that this was the boys last day, and that they’d never make it to their show, she couldn’t find it in herself to feel awful for them-- not with the guys looking so alive and happy. 

It was a worry for later. 

“Hey,” Bobby called everyone’s attention a bit later, “so, we’re going to have to take two trips,” he explained, as he loaded one of Alex’s drums into the trunk of his car, “we don’t have enough room in my car for the five of us, and the guitars, bass and drum set.” 

“So, who’s going first then?” Reggie asked with a tilt of his head. 

“Me, obviously,” Bobby rolled his eyes, “and Alex should come on the first run—then he can set up his drums and be ready for rehearsals and sound check when I come back for the rest of the instruments and you guys. That way we’ll all be good to go, for just after we arrive.” 

“Smart,” Reggie agreed. 

“Wait, I have to hang around at the Orpheum by myself? So not cool,” Alex frowned, looking anxious at the thought. It was familiar to a look Julie remembered being on her Alex’s face when he realized he’d been rattling on about Willie and finally remembered he’d been lost in his crush. A nervousness, but not complete anxiety. That awkward right before anxiety face. 

“I can hang out with Alex?” Julie suggested, “that way we’re not all squished on the second ride over, and you three can ride with your guitars.” 

“Perfect,” Bobby agreed quickly, pointing at Julie like she’d just figured out the answers to the universe, “six hands unloading the drums will get me back on the road sooner too. The faster we get these trips done, and everything unloaded, the faster we can start rehearsing, which we need after yesterday’s lack of.” 

“Yeah, well,” Luke frowned, “who’s fault is that one, Bobby?” 

“And, back to the right conversation,” Alex rolled his eyes at Luke, “I’m all for Julie hanging out with me while you get the rest of the instruments and Luke and Reggie. Someone with a softer touch to be touching my drums, because you three are animals.” 

“Offensive,” Bobby muttered before continuing with the professional talk. “But, cool,” Bobby gave a nod, patting his pants for his car keys. “Shoot, I left the keys inside.” 

“I’ve gotta clean up a bit before we hit the road,” Julie informed, making her way to the bathroom. She caught sight of a hairbrush on the counter by the sink, calling a quick, “I’m using whoever’s brush this is!” as she shut herself in the restroom. 

“Mine,” Reggie called in reply through the closed door, “and okay!” 

It didn’t take too long for Julie to get ready. Less than it had before, since her hair was still pretty clean after yesterday’s shower. She styled her hair easily, then dropped her attention to her outfit. It was just the Sunset Curve t-shirt, which was completely perfect for their concert, Reggie’s red and black plaid flannel, that she hadn’t taken off and her jeans and sneakers from the first day she’d arrived in nineteen-ninety-five. 

And honestly, it was a nice look. She looked a bit like Reggie, but also with her usual Julie flair with the sneakers and jeans. It was perfect for the Orpheum, since she was just going to be Sunset Curve’s roadie, and hang around backstage and with them for the day. 

She walked out of the bathroom just as Bobby returned with his car keys dangling from his finger, “ready you guys?” 

“Yep,” Alex nodded, shutting the trunk after doing a final count of if all his drums were accounted for, wrapped tight enough in blankets and secured perfectly in the trunk. Julie gave her own nod as she slipped into the backseat of Bobby’s car as Alex and Bobby got in the front. 

Luke and Reggie waved them off before they both disappeared back inside the studio to prepare themselves. 

There was a lot less traffic this time around, and Bobby had even stopped for a quick fast-food breakfast and coffee. It was the highlight of her day so far. And Bobby hadn’t even allowed her to pay for herself, which was nice of him. 

Drop off went fast. Bobby helped Julie and Alex bring the drum set in, and was quick to leave after someone working at the Orpheum had verified who they were and showed them to the stage. Julie helped Alex set up his drum set as the two of them chatted easily about how awesome it was that they were on the Orpheum stage. 

It really didn’t take too long for Reggie, Bobby and Luke to arrive too behind them, all three of them carrying their guitars and nursing their own coffees. Julie assumed they’d all woken up a bit before her in excitement, but had been kind enough to keep quiet while she slept. 

Alex’s drums had all been set up, there were amps waiting for the band to plug into, and of course, the Orpheum provided microphones and speakers. 

Julie sat herself on the edge of the stage, watching silently as they sorted their instruments out. 

Then, they were practicing. Falling easily into rehearsing, like they hadn’t even left the studio. Julie had been right about their energy; it was something else to watch the four of them up on the stage. To see them jumping around, and singing to each other, and just... living like it was the greatest day of their lives. 

They really belonged on the stage, and Julie would be completely depressed right now if she didn’t know they’d get to continue doing what they loved in twenty-twenty. 

None of them looked nervous to be on the Orpheum stage, they really looked like they were in their element, just waiting for the floor to be filled with an audience for them to entertain and surprise with just how awesome they were. 

The day went on like Julie expected it too. The boys played through their setlist time after time, commenting absently and adjusting small things for the best possible performance. 

Julie had been a good little Roadie, disappearing around lunch time to get the guys burgers from across the street, since they didn’t appear to be leaving that stage for long enough to walk across the street. 

She wouldn’t admit it, but the burgers were an attempt to fill them up so they wouldn’t head out for street dogs. That would definitely change the future, which is why she didn’t want to admit it. 

She had a feeling it wasn’t going to work, but it was honestly worth a shot. 

The guys completely annihilated the burgers when she returned with them, and then the four of them were back to practicing. Julie swapped between watching them from one of the tables by the bar, as well as sitting cross-legged on the edge of the stage, just taking all Sunset Curve had to offer in. 

The more time seemed to tick on, the more anxious Julie got. 

She knew what was going to happen. Not exactly when, but she knew broadly that it was coming. They could mutter words about heading out for street dogs at any point from here on out, and she couldn’t do anything to stop them. She had to let it happen, because that’s what happened. That was how the guys were supposed to die. She wasn’t here to be playing God—she didn’t know why she was here, but it certainly wasn’t to dictate who lived on, and who died. 

She would have to bite her tongue, politely pass on any offer to accompany them (she absolutely refused to watch what was going to happen—no one would ever want to witness their friends die), and then deal with the grief of knowing her friends were eating themselves to death, one rancid hot dog at a time. 

And then, on top of that, she still needed to find her way home—to her boys, and her dad, and her little brother, and, of course to Flynn. 

Julie sighed, but a smile found her way onto her lips as she looked at the enthusiasm radiating off the boys. As they bounced around, singing to each other, and putting on a show for the stage crew, and waitstaff all waiting and getting ready for the flood of people in the next few hours. 

“They’re really good, aren’t they?” Julie turned towards the body that had just leaned against the standing table beside her, she too was leaning against as she watched the guys rock out. 

She straightened suddenly when she caught sight of who was beside her, opening and closing her mouth once before clearing her throat and managing a quick, squeaky, “yeah.” 

Beside her, leaning casually against the counter just watching the boys on the stage, was her mother. Twenty-five years younger than the last time Julie had seen her. Alive, and breathing, and so unbelievably beautiful. She was young, full of life, and energy. 

Her voice wasn’t quite the same, but she still looked like her mother. And she was wearing her mother’s vest, the one Julie had found in the chest of her mother’s belongings, and worn for a show of her own. It was newer looking, not yet worn by years of owning it and being a beloved piece of clothing. 

Julie had seen pictures from when her mother was younger: band photos of the few she played with for short periods of time, her friends and family over the years, as well as her mom at her wedding with Julie’s dad. She was a bit older in those wedding pictures, but she really hadn’t changed much over the years. 

“Yeah,” Julie cleared her throat once more, awkwardly brushing off the squeak of her voice, “they’re amazing...” 

“Did you come here with them? I’m pretty sure you’re not a part of the staff, and we’ve got strict security outside for the fans. You’d have to be pretty good to slip passed the guards at the doors.” 

“I did,” Julie swallowed, blinking her eyes to determine if she was dreaming this, or if it was really happening. This was her mom, like, nine years before Julie was even born. This was her mom, who she’d seen die just the year before. It was like talking to a ghost, but... well, if anyone was the ghost here, it’d probably be Julie. “I, uh, I’m their roadie?” 

“Ah,” her mom raised an eyebrow, “good gig you’ve got then. These guys will make it big, I’m sure.” 

“You think?” Julie asked easily, tilting her head at her mother. It was surreal. So completely surreal that Julie had absolutely no idea what to think about this. She was talking to her mom. 

“Oh yeah,” Rose nodded fondly, “I’ve seen a lot of bands play on this stage and make it huge, and these guys are probably the best I’ve seen.” 

Rose paused, turning to eye Julie without turning her torso, “I’m Rose, by the way.” 

“Julia,” Julie replied instantly before shaking her head, “but, uh, I like Julie more...” 

“Julie,” her mother tasted the name before giving the younger a sideways smile, “I’ve always loved the name Julia. If I ever have a daughter, I’m going to name her that, call her Jules for a nickname.” 

“I’m sure she’ll love it,” Julie swallowed again, but this time it was emotions she was trying to contain. “If, y’know, it happens— you know, when- _if_ \- you have a daughter... Wow this is weird. I am so sorry.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Rose gave a laugh, “you’re pretty funny, Julie.” 

“I am?” Julie raised an eyebrow, before smiling to herself. Her mom had told her that before, when they used to goof off in the studio together—writing songs to make the other laugh for an afternoon break. She honestly missed just cracking jokes and listening to her mother laugh. Her mom was so amazing. 

“Uh huh,” Rose smiled, before her attention was back on the boys putting their hearts and souls into these sound checks, “now, how’d you become a roadie for them?” 

“We’re friends,” Julie replied honestly, “they’re really amazing. I only met them recently and... well, that’s a long, boring story, but they’ve been the most amazing friends I could ask for.” 

She really didn’t want to tell her mother the details of that story, of how they’d found her passed out outside this very building three days prior. About her following behind them without a question, and sleeping on the floor in their studio. This was a story she’d never tell her parents—she really didn’t need a ‘stranger-danger’ lecture because she really did know those rules. 

These were special circumstances. Special guys. She knew she was completely safe with them—and besides, _technically_ , it was her studio too, just... well, not yet. 

“They do seem to have that charisma the girls love,” Rose nodded, looking towards Julie again, “so, which one do you have your eyes on then?” 

Julie felt herself blush, thinking back to her Luke in the future, and their weird relationship. The ghost, lifer relationship that was super unnatural, but completely their own. She ducked her head to hide it, but that just made her mom giggle beside her, “I thought so,” she laughed, “it’s the singer, isn’t it? I can see it in your eyes.” 

“Yeah,” Julie breathed out, in a weird state of weirded out, but also incredibly happy to be having this strange conversation with her mother. She never thought they’d have a talk like this again—that she’d ever get to tell her mom about one of her crushes. But here she was. In this time. When her mom didn’t even know they were very closely related. 

Her mom let out another laugh, short and sweet, before she was grinning down at Julie, “I’m sure they’ll have a lot of girls falling for them really soon.” 

“And boys,” Julie added absentmindedly for Alex’s sake. She caught her words, looking towards her mother hesitantly. The year weighed in the back of her head, but she really wanted to be inclusive to Alex, even if no one knew he was gay. She knew, and she’d make sure he got the same treatment as Bobby, Luke and Reggie. 

Her mom had always told her she’d accept her no matter what she was into, or who she liked, and Julie believed her. But Julie was curious to see if it was just for her and Carlos, or a general overview. 

“Yeah,” Rose gave a nod after a moment’s thought, “there will definitely be guys falling for them too. They’re pretty irresistible with those cute faces and musical talents.” 

Julie gave a laugh, watching Alex jam out on his drums. Completely oblivious to the conversation taking place, just like the rest of the boys. 

“Well, it was nice to talk to you, Julie,” Rose called her attention back, “but I’ve got to get back to work or I’ll get docked pay. Maybe I’ll see you after the show or something?” 

“Yeah,” Julie gave her a nod, “you’ll definitely see me.” 

Rose gave Julie a bright smile before turning around and taking a step or two away before Julie called out to her in a sudden burst of confidence, “uh, hey, Rose?” 

Rose paused, looking back at Julie. Julie cleared her throat for a third time, in an attempt to not lose her voice from her nerves, “I know we just met... but, uh, you really remind me of someone close to me I lost recently. Could... we maybe hug? If it’s not too weird, I mean!” 

It sounded weird to her now that she’d asked. The longer the question was left hanging (which couldn’t have been longer than a second or two), the closer Julie got to retracting the question and brushing it off as a joke. 

She was just about to too, when Rose turned back towards her with a tiny smile and furrowed eyebrows, “sure, Mija.” 

And then, she was holding her arm out in invitation. Julie froze for a second in surprise, before she moved to hug her mother after so, so long. It was just like hugging her mom from the future, the same warmth and feelings. She even smelt the same—even with that unfamiliar twinge of alcohol that clung to her from the bar. 

It made Julie remember just how much she missed her mother. It was a one-armed hug, they were strangers here, so Julie understood it but she was definitely going to take what she could get. It was already weird enough she’d asked her mother who hadn’t even met her dad yet, to hug her. 

“Thank you,” Julie whispered, hanging onto the embrace as long as she felt was normal-ish. Or, at least not completely weird. She really didn’t want to let go... 

“No problem, Mija,” her mother whispered back, the arm she’d wrapped around Julie carefully rubbing her shoulder. “She may be gone, but she’s not forgotten,” Rose whispered, “and I’m sure she’s watching you from above and smiling, Julie.” 

“Thank you,” Julie whispered again, squeezing her eyes shut. “I know she is.” 

They pulled away at the same time, and Rose gave her a small smile. “You take care, okay?” 

“Yeah,” Julie gave a small nod, “you... you too. Thank you.” 

Rose settled her hand on Julie’s shoulder for a second, while she gave her one last grin before she pulled away and moved the way she’d been heading before. She disappeared into a backroom, with one final fleeting look at the younger girl. 

She’d just talked to her mom, nine years before she was to be born. Her mom was insanely cool—both when she was young, and also when she’s a mom. Julie was so lucky. 

She still felt all warm and fuzzy that she’d gotten to hug her mom one final time. 

Julie let out a heavy sigh, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked from the door her mother had disappeared through, to the guys still playing their songs contently. 

This was awful, this waiting game she was playing. Waiting for them to announce their intentions of getting street dogs. She really wasn’t ready for it...

* * *

It was only an hour later when he boys finally set their instruments down. Julie had just been watching them, sitting against one of the walls with her knees pulled up to her chest, just hoping she didn’t look like she was anticipating doom, which it totally was. 

The four of them were sweaty, and red in the face—completely overexerted, but looking like they were living their best life all the same. 

When they finished their last song, the staff around the room gave them a bit of an applause, her mom included, who’d come back into the room after about half an hour in backroom. Some congratulated them, while other simply told them they’d done good, but all the feedback had all the guys grinning widely. 

Insanely proud of themselves, and Julie was in the same boat. The pride of them sinking in her stomach, but instantly washed away by the fear of what she knew was coming next. Of what was slowly creeping up behind her, and Alex, Luke and Reggie alike. 

The guys talked a bit on stage, which she heard bits and pieces of—an exchange between Luke and Bobby, Luke hyping his boys up, but she mostly heard Reggie hyping Alex up, and Alex finally taking the compliment and beaming brightly. 

And then... then the words were muttered. The ones that made her face blanch, and her body involuntarily freeze. 

“Okay, well, I’m thinking we fuel up before the show... I’m thinkin’ street dogs?” 

Of course, it was Luke to suggest it. Poor, dumb, _clueless_ Luke who suggested his favorite snack that was close to the Orpheum and easy to get. It was so close—their end. Julie drew in a breath, letting it out slowly to keep herself calm. The others were quick to jump on board with the suggestion, and Julie knew then that this would be the end of it. 

Well, all but Bobby, who made a beeline towards her mother, while he called something about being vegetarian over his shoulder. The guys followed behind him towards her mom, and Julie watched for a second, eyebrows furrowed as her boys kinda flirted with her mother. As Bobby, Trevor Wilson, flirted with her mom. 

And oh, wow, that was gross. Her mom and Carrie’s dad. She’d known they were friends, but not... _this_ friendly. 

She wasn’t close enough to really hear what they were saying, but she could clearly see it. And a couple things they said made its way to her ears. 

Reggie slid their demo of their songs across the counter to her, which Julie clicked together with the CD she’d played right before the boys had appeared in her studio, and then Reggie was handing her a ‘size beautiful’ t-shirt as well. 

Ew-- the guys were flirting with her mom. And she was kinda flirting back... That was wrong on so many levels. 

But then again, Julie flirted with a twenty-five-year-old ghost who was still surprisingly seventeen, so she really had no right to be upset. 

But still, ew. 

It did answer how her mother had a Sunset Curve t-shirt though. Julie had wondered about that, since the guys had sworn they didn’t know her mom. Flynn had been right; it was a just a casual meeting—with her boys being too sweet for their own goods and giving away merch. Her mom had gotten it from the guys, the night they died. The gems were all her mother’s doing though. 

When she finally focused back on the guys, it was as they were walking towards her, wide grins and very hyped up from playing their music. From the positive response they’d gotten from the Orpheum staff. 

“Hey,” Luke greeted, “we’re heading for street dogs before the show, and you’re invited.” 

“Ah,” Julie shook her head, trying to give them a supportive smile. “I’m on a strict one street dog per week schedule.” She didn’t want to accidently warn them, or give them a hint to what was coming. She needed to stay neutral, and let what had to happen, happen. 

Reggie let out a bark of laughter, before he tilted his head at her, and flashed a bright smile, “your loss, Jules.” 

Luke and Reggie exchanged a laugh, as Luke threw his arm over Reggie’s shoulder, oozing with cheerfulness. It almost made her feel sick, how happy he was. How happy all three of them were. They didn’t know. They weren’t supposed to know, but the looks on their faces just didn’t sit right when Julie _knew_. 

“Oh, hey, uh, did I see you hugging that girl Bobby’s chatting up earlier?” Alex raised an eyebrow. “What was that about?” 

“Yeah,” Julie gave a nod, “I used to know her. It was nice to see her again.” 

“Ah,” Alex said, but the look on his face said he didn’t quite understand what her tone meant. Julie wasn’t even sure what her tone meant. She was sure no one else had gone on quite the emotional rollercoaster she’d been stuck on, so this was uncharted territory. 

“Anyways,” Luke called attention back, “we’ll be back before the show—there's literally no way we’d miss this,” he gestured halfheartedly back to the stage with a stupidly cute grin Julie wanted to smack off his face. “There’s an hour before we’re on, so we’ll be back before that.” 

“Sounds good,” Julie swallowed, trying hard to keep herself neutral. She was still sitting on the floor, looking up at the guys as they crowded around her in conversation. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to tag along?” Reggie raised an eyebrow, looking unsure of the thought of leaving her behind. 

“I’m sure,” Julie promised, “you guys... enjoy your street dogs, alright?” 

They exchanged a confused look between the three of them at her dismissal of the invite, before nodding easily and turning away from Julie. Julie watched them leave, disappearing out one of the side doors to get street dogs. Their last street dogs. 

Their last anything. 

Could she really let this happen? 

Just let them leave and die? Let them eat those toxic hotdogs and die from food poisoning? 

… 

No, she couldn’t. 

Julie pulled herself to her feet quickly, taking off after the boys. Her feet slapped on the flooring, and she was sure she’d drawn a lot of attention to herself as she flew after them. 

Following them through the door they’d left through as fast as she could. She needed to catch them before they were gone. Before they turned out of the alleyway and made their way to the street dogs stand where Julie couldn’t remember where it had been located. 

She really should’ve paid attention when they’d taken her there yesterday. 

She threw the door to the outside open, letting out a cry bordering between complete frustration, and utter heartbreak. 

Gone. 

They were gone. 

Her boys. 

She was alone on Sunset Boulevard. Not a soul in sight. 

She was too late. 

Julie sunk to her knees, letting herself cry out silently. 

She was too late...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more left. Already started it, so keep an eye out for it!
> 
> I wanted to include Rose and give Julie some closure with that (even if it's not completely canon that the girl the boys give the demo and shirt too is Rose, but I thoroughly enjoy the idea, so, y'know). Also, I settled for the nickname mija just because it's said in the show and I didn't want to use another term of endearment that I don't really know the meaning of! Google translate had done me dirty before, and I didn't want to take that chance XD
> 
> Once more, thank you so much for reading, leaving comments and kudos! They all mean the world to me, and I really do love reading your comments! I'll see you guys soon with the final chapter! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am with the last chapter! I made it to over 30k words, which is the first on this account, and probably the fastest I've ever completed a multichaptered fic because I get so easily distracted! **Edit right before I post-- I've been anxiously postponing posting this for like 4 hours because I started second guessing myself with the end? Oof, anxiety is rude**
> 
> I'm actually sad this is ending though, but I hope you guys like the ending too! I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope people enjoy!
> 
> Also, if you could read the notes at the end when you're finished, that would be great!
> 
> As always, enjoy! :D

“Julie!” When Julie opened her eyes, she shrieked, pulling herself up so she was sitting against a stair railing. It was a surprise, to hear someone’s voice, let alone one so familiar. She was quick to catch her breath before raising her palm to her forehead, where her brain throbbed familiarly. 

The guys were surrounding her, all three of their faces mixed messes of anxiety, concern, and panic. What had happened? Where even was she? 

Her head hurt again, pounding in her skull like it had been when she’d woken up with the boys surrounding her in nineteen-ninety-five. It had been a shallow thrum in the back of her head the whole time she’d been with her alive boys, but it was a mild, and constant, so she’d gotten used to it—this time however, it was back full force. 

In fact, this was very familiar. Not just the ache in her head, but everything. All of it. 

Julie looked around at her surroundings, furrowing her eyebrows as she scanned the dark alley she was laying in. She was still outside the Orpheum, right by the door she’d pushed her way out of. Where she’d sunk to her knees and cried hard for the first time since being stuck in a year that wasn’t hers. 

Last she remembered she’d been crying over the loss of her friends. Crying over the fact she’d let them go, that they’d gone and eaten the street dogs, even though she should’ve warned them. She could’ve saved them... and they would’ve lived. They could’ve lived to play the show, and make it big— have their dreams come true with Sunset Curve! 

But, she’d listened to her gut instead of her heart. What a horrible feeling, to know something like that was going to happen, but not being able to say a thing. To decide too late that the moral right thing to do, which wasn’t really the right thing to do in her situation was awful. She’d been too late to save them... 

She’d been crying... and then everything had gone scarily quiet, and now... now she was waking up here with her very much alive boys. The guys. They were here. 

They’d survived the hotdogs. 

“Oh my God,” Julie breathed out, pulling herself to her feet in order to throw her arms around Luke and Reggie’s shoulders (who were the closest to her) and hug them close. They were alive, and she told them as much, “you guys are alive!” 

Only-- Julie stumbled as her arms fazed through them, followed by her body following suit and falling towards the ground instead of catching on Luke and Reggie like she had been for the past three days. All three boys made a similar noise of surprise, Luke and Reggie reaching out to try to catch her, even though they physically couldn’t. 

“Yeah, well,” Alex breathed an anxious laugh, hands buried in his shorts pockets, “not exactly?” 

Julie managed to catch herself and right her footing before she could actually hit the ground, but it still threw her for a loop. She’d gone through them. 

“You’re ghosts?” Julie gaped, looking between the three in confusion. “You’re ghosts.” 

“We’ve, uh, a-always been ghosts?” Reggie tilted his head, biting his lip before clarifying, “since we’ve met you, at least.” 

“You hit your head pretty hard,” Luke fussed, hand hovering by the side of Julie’s head in concern, “you were out for a few minutes.” 

“And we were kinda panicking, not gonna lie...” Alex told her in a rush, anxiety flooding out of him, “we’re ghosts, and we had like no way to contact anyone. You didn’t even have your phone on you, so we couldn’t text anyone either!” 

“Yeah,” Reggie nodded, looking just as fearful as Alex, “we were about to totally ghost your dad and your brother. We couldn’t leave you, but do you know how hard it is for a ghost to get a lifer’s attention? I mean, Luke wanted to write on your dad’s arm with a sharpie--” 

“I was panicking!” Luke defended, crossing his arms across his chest, “Julie hit the ground, how would I not panic about that? Besides, it’s not like you two came up with anything better!” 

“Hey!” Alex scoffed, “I said we should’ve tried to get Flynn’s attention, since, y’know, she _knows_ about us—but noo! No one ever listens to me!” 

“Stealing Julie’s phone from her dad’s pocket and texting him would’ve worked too!” Reggie gaped in offense at his idea being shot down my Luke. 

“Yeah, until he comes out to find his daughter passed out!” Alex replied with an irritated huff, “because unconscious people can totally text while they’re out cold, Buddy.” 

“I’m back,” Julie blinked, taking a couple unsteady steps until she was beside a wall she could lean on to support herself. “I’m back... what the heck happened? Just... what?” 

“You tripped,” Luke informed, poofing right beside her, hand hovering uselessly by her side, “you tripped coming down the stairs after our second show here and hit your head on the pole of the stair railing.” 

“You were out cold,” Reggie added, “for like, three minutes or something. We were waiting until five to take any drastic scare-the-crap-out-of-everyone measures.” 

“No. We weren’t,” Luke gave Reggie a disbelieving look, “we just couldn’t do anything, and we panicked. If we were alive, or visible, or... or even _heard_ , we’d’ve had someone out here ASAP, Julie.” 

“How was I supposed to know that was the plan when the three of us were just trying to wake Julie up, which was incredibly unproductive without being able to touch you by the way, and arguing about how to get someone’s attention?” 

“You are so lucky you’re good at playing the bass,” Luke gave an exhausted sigh. “So, so lucky.” 

“You’re not supposed to just wait for someone who hit their head to wake up, you’re supposed to get them help as soon as possible,” Alex informed Reggie, face scrunched up as he explained something he didn’t think he’d ever need too. “She could have like... a concussion, or brain damage or something!” 

“I’m alright,” Julie promised over the guys anxious argument. It really was just because they were all spooked with recent events, since they’d never been this tense with each other in as long as Julie had known them. “No brain damage here, I’m sure.” 

“You can’t decide that,” Luke frowned. “That was a hard hit, Jules. And... and you were out cold for a few minutes!” 

“Too bad,” Julie managed a laugh. When she quieted down, she looked between her friends, just so incredibly happy to be back. “Honestly, I feel okay. I promise. I can go find my dad, and tell him what happened, and I’ll see what he thinks.” 

“But you hit your head,” Reggie frowned in concern. 

“You say that like it’s a first time it’s ever happened? I got smacked in the back of the head with a tuba the first year I was in my music program.” Julie snorted a laugh, “my head isn’t an egg, it can take a hit or two.” 

“Still...” Alex refused to accept the answer, “listen to us, we’re ghosts.” 

“How are you not more concerned that you’ve been out cold for a couple minutes?” Luke questioned, scrunching his nose up, “we’re more concerned than you are, and you’re the one who took the hit!” 

“I’m just...” Julie drawled fondly, “I’m so glad to be back. I’m so glad to see you guys, I missed you.” 

“Yeah, uh,” Luke blinked, eyeing Julie like she was speaking in tongues, “we... missed you too? In those _three minutes_ you were out?” 

“Wait, back?” Reggie tilted his head, “back from... where? You’ve been here the whole time, and we’ve been with you.” 

Julie froze, blinking at the confused and cautious looks she was getting from her boys. They were looking at her like she was speaking nonsense, which really wasn’t right, because she knew what she was talking about. And they should too. They’d seen her in nineteen-ninety-five. They’d gotten so close in the three days she’d been there... 

She’d literally slept in the studio with them. She’d hugged them all, and hung out with them all—had deep, heart-to-heart conversations with them... 

“You... don’t remember?” Julie asked slowly, head giving her a thrum of pain, almost like a reminder that she’d really experienced what she had. “Like... anything?” 

“Uh,” Alex looked between Reggie and Luke, “remember what?” 

“Wait,” Julie furrowed her eyebrows, jaw dropping, “ _wait_. You honestly don’t remember it?” 

“We _honestly_ ,” Alex replied, tone changing with the word ‘honestly’, “have no idea what you’re talking about...” He bit his bottom lip, his own eyebrows furrowing just like hers were, but his more concerned than genuinely confused like hers. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Luke raised a concerned eyebrow, “’cause you’re not sounding very... _there_?” 

“I’m all there,” Julie scoffed, “it’s you guys who forgot! I can’t believe you forgot me,” she pouted, completely kidding, but also a bit sad they really had forgotten. It didn’t make sense. She’d been there. She’d seen it all—Sunset Curve, the guys, Bobby. Her mom. It had all been there. She’d _been_ there. 

“I’m confused,” Reggie whispered to Alex. The blonde opened his mouth to try to reply, but ended up closing it without saying anything. He gave a weak shrug, watching Julie cautiously. 

“What did we forget?” Luke scrunched his face up, “cause we didn’t forget anything—and certainly not you.” 

“No, you definitely forgot. I was there, in nineteen-ninety-five,” Julie insisted, “you-” she pointed to Alex, “-and me going for burgers with the talking-- and, and you-” a point at Luke, “-with your missing person poster... and the fight, and you-” Reggie this time, “the beach, and your house!” 

“Woah, woah,” Alex held his hands up in surrender, “you need to calm down—take a breath, Jules.” 

So, she did. She drew in a deep, freaked out breath, before letting out a huff of utter confusion. She did it twice more, the boys watching her like hawks, as if she was going to pass out on them again. A valid concern, really. 

“It doesn’t make sense,” Julie gasped, “like seriously, I was there. And you guys were there. And my mom was there--” 

“It was a dream, Julie,” Alex told her softly, “you hit your head and had a dream while you were unconscious.” Alex moved to kneel in front of Julie, looking like he wanted to touch her, but knowing he still couldn’t, “some kind of concussion dream or something.” 

“No...” Julie refused to believe, “that’s not true. It happened. Like it really happened, guys.” 

“Trust me,” Luke crouched beside Julie, “we were here with you the whole time, and you... didn’t go anywhere. You were here with us the whole time, Jules. You barely moved at all.” 

“Besides,” Reggie called, leaning against the wall on Julie’s other side, “there’s like no way we’d ever forget you if we did happen to meet you sometime in nineteen-ninety-five. You’re too awesome for that.” 

“It couldn’t have been a dream,” Julie frowned in complete denial, “it couldn’t have. It was too real. There’s no way that was a dream. I was in nineteen-ninety-five with you guys—before you, uh, y’know.” 

“That’s impossible, Jules,” Alex frowned, voice soft, “you can’t... you can’t _time travel_! This future is cool, but it’s not that cool yet.” 

“Yo, that does sound awesome though,” Luke blinked with a small smile. 

“Yeah,” Reggie looked amazed, “it sounds so frickin’ cool.” 

Julie managed a weak laugh, looking around at her boys. It couldn’t have been a dream. It couldn’t have. There was no way. That was far too real—far to drawn out. She was gone for three days, not three minutes! 

“I don’t buy it,” Julie insisted, “seriously, that could not have been a dream. I was gone for three days guys. _Three days_.” 

“Yeah, uh,” Alex cleared his throat, “unconscious, not gone—and it was literally three minutes. I was counting. You hit your head, fell and then I started keeping track between my panic because you were _out cold_.” 

“We would’ve noticed Julie,” Luke told her, like he was really trying to convince her she was losing her mind—trying to convey just how impossible it was—but Julie knew that. She’d known how impossible it was all along, from the very start when she could _touch_ them, but that didn’t change it actually happening. “If you were gone, we would’ve noticed that—and for three days? There’s literally no way.” 

“You guys are making me feel dumb,” Julie told them, because she really did go to the past. There was no way—she'd learned so much about them. She’d seen so much. Witnessed it all. Knew the details. Talked to her mother! Why was this so hard to believe? She was literally trying to tell ghosts, and they still didn't believe her. “I know what I saw.” 

How messed up is that? 

“That feeling’s pretty mutual,” Luke huffed a laugh, “it’s just... we were here with you, Jules.” 

“For only three minutes,” Reggie added, just in case Julie had missed it the other dozen times the guys had tried to inform her. 

“Think of it rationally,” Alex suggested, “time travel doesn’t exist. We can’t remember anything about, uh, meeting you before we met you. It happened while you’ve been out cold—could it really not be a dream? Vivid with the concussion?” 

“I mean,” Julie scrunched her nose up, “it _could_... maybe.” 

Could it have been a dream? If they didn’t remember her being there... and nothing had change? Had it really happened? It... she was so sure about it... but was she really? 

With Alex putting it into perspective like that, it was starting to sound like it really was a dream. Like she’d imagined the whole thing up while she was out. But all the information. The emotions, the conversations. It all happened. She couldn’t just think that up—she wasn’t that creative. 

"You know, you three are very close minded for a trio of musical ghosts who can only be seen when they’re playing music with me.” Julie muttered, flattening her palm against her forehead. The guys all gave her varying levels of a laugh, a surprised cackle from Reggie, a chuckle from Luke, and a huffed laugh from Alex, while Julie bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, “maybe it was a dream...” 

“Maybe,” Reggie frowned, “I’m sorry, Julie.” 

“Yeah, that actually sounds like a pretty awesome dream?” Luke shrugged, trying to cheer her up. “It was nice that your mom was there, wasn’t it? Not a terrible way to spend being passed out?” 

“Yeah,” Julie breathed, “it was pretty cool. My mom and... and you guys. Where could I go wrong with that? All I needed was, like, Flynn, my dad and Carlos and it would’ve been perfect.” 

“Nice to know we’re haunting your dreams too,” Reggie teased, finally managing to tempt a smile onto Julie’s face. 

“Oh yeah,” Julie snorted, “I think about nothing more than my dead-before-they-found-me bandmates. The three of you and your pre-death problems honestly should’ve been the last thing on my mind.” 

“Pre-death problems?” Luke teased, “and what would those happen to be?” 

“You, Sir,” Julie grinned, pointing a finger at Luke’s chest. Had he been a solid form beside her, she would’ve poked him in the chest, but her finger hovering right in front of his chest passed along the same message, “were an angsty teen. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone that mad at the world for his mom setting him a curfew.” 

Luke’s teasing smile had slowly switched to one of confusion. Reggie and Alex shared a look before Alex stepped close, “and me? You know, in your dream?” 

“You were closeted, and honestly the tensest human being I’d ever seen,” Julie shrugged, eyes still on Luke’s morphing expression. She looked away from him, to glance at Alex, “awful parents who didn’t accept you, and sisters who you slowly lost contact with over your... preferences?” 

“What about me?” Reggie prompted; eyebrows furrowed. 

“Parents one argument away from a divorce,” Julie replied, crossing her arms across her chest, “and a flight risk brother who ditched you in the night.” 

“And what about your mom?” Alex tilted his head, he was chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully, while Luke and Reggie looked lost in their own heads. 

“She was perfect,” Julie sighed in a perfect mix of sad and happy, “I met her in the Orpheum while you guys and Bobby were up on the stage. She was a bartender, and you guys actually flirted with her, believe it or not. Which was gross. Bobby was the worst—but that might just be because my mom was friends with Trevor Wilson when I was younger. Dreams are insane...” 

“Uh huh,” Alex swallowed. “Hey, uh, give us a minute?” 

Julie gave a shrug, watching as Alex grabbed fistfuls of Luke’s shirt, and Reggie’s leather jacket, pulling them a few feet to the side. The talked quietly in a band huddle that reminded her of the first time she’d met them in the studio. They were quieter this time, so she couldn’t make out what they were saying. 

They were talking about her, she knew. They wouldn’t have needed the huddle if it wasn’t something they didn’t want her to hear. They all threw confused looks over their shoulders at her, furrowing their eyebrows as if they were trying to understand her. 

Julie didn’t see what the big problem was. It was a dream. They’d made that really clear. There was no way what she’d said could’ve been the truth... right? So what were those reactions for? 

It was like... impossible for her to just dream up real things about her friends. There was no way she could’ve known any of that. Like at all. The guys tended to keep to themselves, or to each other, and she usually felt like the odd one out when they did. 

But something about how the guys expressions had fell from teasing to genuine disbelief wasn’t sitting right. Not when it had been a dream. 

It couldn’t be real, could it? The chances of it happening were like... in the negatives, at least. 

Julie shook her head, reaching up to rub at her temple again, where a flash of red caught sight. 

A too big flannel... 

Reggie’s flannel, from nineteen-ninety-five, was clinging to her arms and shoulders. Soft, and warm and beloved, just like when he’d shrugged it off and draped it over her shoulders at the beach by his home. Julie gaped down at the plaid pattern before tugging the edges open to gaze upon the shirt she was wearing. 

Sunset Curve. 

It was a Sunset Curve shirt. The one from Reggie’s backpack. A Sunset Curve t-shirt that didn’t have gems on it. It was clean, and white and unaltered, exactly the way it had been when Reggie had dug through his bag for it, and handed it over. Just like the merch Julie had watched Reggie hand to her mother after their sound check before the left for their hotdogs of death. 

There was no way it had been a dream. No way at all. Not with the clothes. It was proof enough for Julie—returning to twenty-twenty with a tee and a flannel she’d been given by her ghost bandmate who was still alive at the time, in a year years before she was born. 

It hadn’t been a dream. She’d... really been in nineteen-ninety-five? She’d actually gone to the past? 

But how? 

How had it happened? How, in those three minutes she was out for, had she lived three full days in the past? That was impossible—there was no way around that, it was utterly impossible. 

Julie stared hard ahead of her, watching the wall across from her as she tried to sort herself out. Because what? This was a mess. This whole... everything. It was a mess. 

Nothing like this had ever happened before. Not like this. 

Julie thought back through most of her life since meeting these three ghost boys—nothing had seemed weird besides the fact she saw and communicated with ghost boys. 

But then... 

What about that time she’d imagined a whole musical number in her head? Listening to her music, and dreaming up this extravagant music number of _I Got the Music_ with Nick dancing with her in a suit, and Flynn rapping along. The whole school, and the marching band in it—with the big dance number, and the janitor’s cart. She’d known that was a dream, because it had to be. It really had to be a dream. 

So, how did the marching band’s drummer’s sticks, the sticks Julie had taken from the drummer in her music number, _in her head_ , end up in her back pocket in real life? None of it had happened. Julie had been stood at her locker, and then, suddenly this band kid is asking for his sticks back. 

The sticks magically in Julie’s back pocket. 

She’d really thought that hadn’t happened, because it was unbelievable. First of all, flash mobs had died years ago, secondly, there was literally no way that that many people would’ve participated, and thirdly, _how_? 

A whole music number that she remembered, but no one else did? Impossible. 

Going back to nineteen-ninety-five, where no one remembers seeing you? Also, impossible. 

But both with legit proof of the event? Something significant on her person when she’s back? Incredibly impossible. 

It made her head spin. 

Julie scrunched her nose up, dropping her attention down to glare at the pavement below her. It was too much. This was too much. Wasn’t it enough she had ghost bandmates? Wasn’t that enough weird for one lifetime? 

“Hey, you with us?” Julie looked up to Luke, who was stood with Alex and Reggie. They all tried to look passive, but each of them looked a bit freaked out. “We just have a... few more questions about your dream?” 

Julie furrowed her eyebrows, watching them closely. She didn’t like the freaked out looks on their faces. She was doing that thing again—the one where she knew more than she was supposed to. It had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past, and now she was doing it again with her boys. 

Maybe... it would be better to hold onto this. A secret of her own? Sure, she knew all this important stuff about her boys, but _her boys_ hadn’t told her. The Alex, Reggie and Luke from nineteen-ninety-five had told her. 

This was just like her knowing too much about the nineteen-ninety-five boys, from knowing her boys. 

And that had gotten her into trouble with them. She’d said more than she was supposed to, but there she had the element of not really knowing them. The thought she was going to be returning to twenty-twenty at some point—this was her world now and... she didn’t want to mess anything up. 

If they were supposed to know this, they would’ve remembered her, or they’d have been sent back with her. Maybe this was what was supposed to happen? 

“About?” Julie prompted, stretching her legs out before her, before using the wall to pull herself up. 

“Anything... significant?” Alex suggested, raising an eyebrow, “like, uh, I don’t know, something about Bobby?” 

Julie drew in a breath, swallowing down the honest answer she wanted to give, “he was barely there,” she waved the thought off instead, “but lemme tell you, the sharks in the sky, now they were cool.” 

“Sharks... in the sky?” Luke repeated, seriousness fading from his face. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion while Alex and Reggie exchanged a look. 

“Definitely,” Julie gave a serious nod, “did I forget to mention them earlier? It must’ve slipped my mind that sharks tend to stay in the ocean in my haze of waking up. My head is still pounding.” 

“Uh... yeah,” Reggie laughed, “you did. Sounds awesome, but oddly terrifying.” 

“It was,” Julie laughed, “like I said before... dreams are insane.” 

“They are,” Luke gave her a laugh. 

Julie liked these looks on her boys more. The relief wiping out their confusion. The little laughs as they brushed off whatever they’d talked about in their little huddle. The smiles returning to their faces. 

“We should really get you to your dad,” Alex told her, shifting from foot to foot, “or, at least get you some Advil or something.” 

“Yeah,” Julie agreed, “let’s do it. You guys go find my dad; I just need a second to wipe some of this dirt off. Don’t wanna worry him too much, you know?” 

“Got it,” Luke gave a nod, “c’mon boys.” 

Alex and Luke poofed out, but Reggie stayed. 

He eyed her, as she pulled herself away from the wall. His eyes dropped to the flannel, eyeing it just as hard before his attention rose to her face, “I had a flannel just like that,” he told her. “I lost it... like right before our show at the Orpheum. It was weird, it was my favorite one.” 

“Really?” Julie raised an eyebrow, silently thankful that the flannel was covering up the Sunset Curve tee. That would be a bit harder to talk her way out of. 

“Uh huh,” Reggie gave a nod, eyes dropping back to the article of clothing, “it’s so weird.” 

He looked her up and down carefully, in a scrutinizing way, before he smiled at her, “that one looks better on you than mine ever did on me.” 

“Thanks, Reggie,” Julie huffed a surprised laugh, before her lips curled into a teasing grin as she tacked on a playful, “it’s size beautiful.” 

The abrupt surprise on Reggie’s face made her laugh, which in turn made him laugh as well. He brushed off the saying, like she’d expected him too, and instead laughed a bright, “totally.” before he poofed away too, a goofy reminiscent smile on his face. 

Julie hugged her arms around herself, cuddling into the flannel and remembering its scent from when Reggie had given it to her. The smell of Reggie, and the beach. Remembering those goofy boys in nineteen-ninety-five, but also remembering those goofy duplicates currently finding her father. 

She stepped towards the door back into the Orpheum, glancing over she shoulder once more, looking around and just taking in her world. 

Thanking whatever higher power existed that she was _home_ as she pulled the door open and moved in to find her ghosts, best friend, dad and little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finished! I hope the ending was alright, when I started this, like two weeks ago, I had a broad idea of how it was going to end, but I thought I'd take it slower and not get as absorbed into writing this fic and these characters as I ended up being. I panicked a little with how to end it, and really just came up with this last night at like 1am.
> 
> But honestly, I really think Julie's mom has been orchestrating everything for her. So, I decided to play off the signs given in the show, and the dance number of 'I Got the Music' because Julie just having the drummer's sticks and nothing else being said about it interested me. Hopefully the ended turned out half as good as I planned!
> 
> Sorry for any plot holes, this wasn't the best planned fic, but I had a lot of fun writing it! The more I think about it, the more I'm stressed it doesn't make sense lol 
> 
> I'll definitely be working on some more JatP fics because it's taken over my life... Anyways! Lemme know how you liked it? Of if you have plot loose ends I may have forgotten to tie up. I'll do my best to answer! For the last time on this fic, thank you so incredibly much for sticking around, leaving comments and kudos and just reading along! You guys are awesome! <3


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